George H. Oliver Visual/Performing Arts Magnet School

George H. Oliver Visual/Performing Arts Magnet School is a PK–4 elementary school in Clarksdale, Mississippi, serving 299 students in the Clarksdale Municipal School District, a district that ranks in the bottom 7% of Mississippi districts. Nearly all students (98%) qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the school is currently ranked 362nd out of 377 elementary schools in the state for the 2025–2026 school year, placing it in the 4th percentile with a 0-star rating.

Academically, George H. Oliver trails state averages in nearly every subject and grade. For example, only 13.2% of 3rd graders are proficient in reading, compared to 48.5% statewide, and just 15.1% are proficient in math versus 48.8% statewide. It is also the lowest-performing of the three Clarksdale elementary magnet schools, behind Kirkpatrick Health And Wellness Magnet School (13th percentile) and Booker T. Washington International Studies Magnet School (8th percentile). Even Clarksdale Collegiate Public Charter School, which serves a similarly high-poverty population, outperforms George H. Oliver in 3rd grade reading and math. Nearby schools in other districts, such as Quitman County Elementary and Casper E Hall, also post significantly stronger scores despite serving equally high-poverty student bodies.

The picture is not entirely negative. Fourth grade math is a notable bright spot, with 38.2% of students proficient — well above the nearby charter school's 8.8% and close to the district average. Chronic absenteeism, while still high at 28.8%, is better than the district average of 38.9% and far better than Booker T. Washington's 40.7%. The school has also improved from the 0th percentile in 2017–2018 to the 4th percentile today, and a 2014–2015 school year in which it reached the 34th percentile shows that better outcomes are possible. Reducing absenteeism and figuring out what works in 4th grade math could help the school build on these small gains.