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West Hancock Elementary

Q: Is West Hancock Elementary a good school?

West Hancock Elementary ranks 91 st of 383 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

91^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 383 Mississippi Elementary Schools

Better than 76% of Mississippi elementary schools

Summary

West Hancock Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 363 students in grades PK-5 in Picayune, Mississippi, which is part of the Hancock County School District. The school consistently outperforms the state average on standardized tests, with 60.4% of 3rd graders proficient or better in English Language Arts compared to the state average of 49.4%. However, West Hancock Elementary faces challenges with high chronic absenteeism, rising from 23.9% in 2021-2022 to 31.1% in 2022-2023, which is significantly higher than the state average.

Compared to other schools in the district, East Hancock Elementary and Hancock North Central Elementary both have higher test scores and lower chronic absenteeism rates than West Hancock Elementary. However, West Hancock has shown steady improvement in its statewide ranking, moving from 288th out of 402 Mississippi elementary schools in 2014-2015 to 91st out of 383 in 2024-2025, indicating the school is making progress. Additionally, West Hancock Elementary has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 11.4 to 13.6 over the past few years, which suggests the school may have the resources to provide more individualized attention to students.

Overall, West Hancock Elementary appears to be a solid school with a track record of academic achievement, but it must continue to address the significant socioeconomic challenges faced by its student population, as evidenced by the very high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 62.81% to 99.12% over the past few years. By addressing the chronic absenteeism issue and leveraging its low student-teacher ratio, the school can continue to support the success of its students.

349

Students ?

13.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,554

Per pupil spending ?

75.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

23350 Highway 43
Picayune, MS 39466

(228) 586-6054

District: Hancock School District

Students who attend West Hancock Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Hancock Middle School
High:	Hancock High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.4%

Hispanic:

4.6%

African American:

3.7%

See top rated Mississippi elementary schools

Compare West Hancock Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 28th percentile in 2015 → 76th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Mississippi average (64% vs 54% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 24% of Mississippi elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 48 percentile points since 2015

Worth a look

!High chronic absenteeism (31% vs 24% Mississippi)

!Near the bottom of Hancock School District's ranking

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school64%

District avg69%

Mississippi avg54%

91^st of 383

Mississippi public elementary schools ?

Top 24%▲ up 48 pts since 2015

From bottom 28% (2015) to top 24% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Mississippi Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 4Elementary Schools in the Hancock School District

14^th of 130Hancock School District among Mississippi districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Mississippi percentile	Rating
2025	73.3	91 of 383	76.2%	★★★★☆
2024	79.2	66 of 390	83.1%	★★★★☆
2023	76.3	73 of 377	80.6%	★★★★☆
2022	68.8	114 of 382	70.2%	★★★★☆
2021	66.3	124 of 381	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	67.3	121 of 397	69.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	58.3	163 of 404	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	55.7	170 of 406	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2016	52.7	186 of 394	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2015	29.4	288 of 402	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	36.4	267 of 394	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2013	53.8	191 of 408	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2012	51.7	202 of 414	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2011	47.1	236 of 418	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2010	72.3	100 of 403	75.2%	★★★★☆

By subject vs Mississippi (2024-2025) ?

Science88%+22 vs state

Mathematics63%+11 vs state

English Language Arts58%+5 vs state

3.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, July 16, 2014

I love how this school makes me feel like my children are safe. I had 3 children in school last year and one of their teachers I didn't like so much. My daughter was having a tough enough time with school and her teacher did not give her the much needed help. I understand she has other students to attend to but all she had to do was go to my daughters side do the first one individually with her then let her do the rest on her own. My daughter would hide out in the restroom to avoid her teacher (SHE IS IN FIRST GRADE!) Also, the school does not have a tutor or extra help for children like my daughter. Close Quote

Schools Near West Hancock Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				MAAP English Language Arts (2025)				MAAP Mathematics (2025)				MAAP Science (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MAAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MAAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MAAP Science 5th Grade	Total
West Hancock Elementary	Public	K-5	23350 Highway 43	Picayune	39466	Hancock County	Hancock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 586-6054	349	26	13.4	75.1%	305 (87.4%)	13 (3.7%)	16 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.7%)	73.3	91^st of 383 public elementary schools	76.2%		79.2	66^th of 390 public elementary schools	83.1%	25	60.4	57.1	54.9		62.0	65.1	62.8		88.3	$13,554
Hancock North Central School	Public	PK, KG-5	6122 Cuevas Town Road	Kiln	39556	Hancock County	Hancock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 255-7641	404	29	13.9	69.8%	380 (94.1%)	6 (1.5%)	11 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.5%)	83.7	50^th of 383 public elementary schools	86.9%		85.3	44^th of 390 public elementary schools	88.7%	6	60.0	67.8	65.7		74.3	85.8	59.7		88.1	$12,517
Roseland Park Elementary	Public	K-6	1610 Gilcrease Street	Picayune	39466	Pearl River County	Picayune School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 798-6824	370	18	20.3		210 (56.8%)	106 (28.6%)	35 (9.5%)	9 (2.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.4%)	39.1	239^th of 383 public elementary schools	37.6%		36.4	257^th of 390 public elementary schools	34.1%	18	29.8	58.2	50.0	41.9	38.6	60.5	31.3	28.0	60.5	$11,030
East Hancock Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4221 Kiln Delisle Rd.	Kiln	39556	Hancock County	Hancock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 255-8372	633	30	20.7	48.5%	549 (86.7%)	17 (2.7%)	32 (5.1%)	8 (1.3%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (3.6%)	91.8	18^th of 383 public elementary schools	95.3%		94.1	11^th of 390 public elementary schools	97.2%	7	66.9	77.0	70.3		83.0	93.6	81.5		88.0	$11,019
West Side Elementary	Public	K-6	111 Kirkwood Street	Picayune	39466	Pearl River County	Picayune School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 798-3625	444	26	16.9	74.1%	267 (60.1%)	110 (24.8%)	36 (8.1%)	8 (1.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.7%)	40.9	228^th of 383 public elementary schools	40.5%		46.8	213^th of 390 public elementary schools	45.4%	15	45.2	58.0	46.4	51.1	31.5	60.0	25.0	51.1	41.0	$10,055
South Side Upper Elementary	Public	3-6	1500 Rosa Street	Picayune	39466	Pearl River County	Picayune School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 798-1105	310	21	14.4	79.4%	185 (59.7%)	97 (31.3%)	17 (5.5%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.9%)	63	146^th of 383 public elementary schools	61.9%		72.1	101^st of 390 public elementary schools	74.1%	45	52.7	58.3	51.3	53.4	45.9	68.4	53.4	50.7	74.6	$9,768
South Side Lower Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	400 South Beech Street	Picayune	39466	Pearl River County	Picayune School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 799-0683	320	19	17.0	82.2%	184 (57.5%)	101 (31.6%)	23 (7.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.8%)								(n/a)										$9,726
Nicholson Elementary	Public	K-6	1887 Hwy 11 South	Picayune	39466	Pearl River County	Picayune School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 798-6309	324	22	14.6	84.6%	154 (47.5%)	84 (25.9%)	69 (21.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.6%)	33.3	265^th of 383 public elementary schools	30.8%		40.2	246^th of 390 public elementary schools	36.9%	19	46.9	34.7	43.1	28.5	59.2	46.9	15.7	37.1	56.8	$10,841
Pearl River Central Elementar	Public	PK, KG-5	116 Alphabet Ave	Carriere	39426	Pearl River County	Pearl River County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 799-4519	1,414	84	16.8	66.1%	1,191 (84.2%)	43 (3.0%)	107 (7.6%)	3 (0.2%)	5 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (4.6%)	67.4	125^th of 383 public elementary schools	67.4%		68.1	116^th of 390 public elementary schools	70.3%	9	48.0	58.8	56.9		62.0	74.0	50.4		75.0	$9,417
Lizana Elementary	Public	K-6	15341 Lizana School Road	Gulfport	39503	Harrison County	Harrison County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 832-1592	393	24	16.2	74.3%	351 (89.3%)	20 (5.1%)	14 (3.6%)	3 (0.8%)	3 (0.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	95.1	6^th of 383 public elementary schools	98.4%		94.1	10^th of 390 public elementary schools	97.4%	4	90.8	75.0	77.6	77.8	93.8	80.8	71.4	97.8	89.8	$11,714

Frequently Asked Questions about West Hancock Elementary

How many students attend West Hancock Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 349 students attended West Hancock Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of West Hancock Elementary?

Students at West Hancock Elementary are 87% White, 5% Hispanic, 4% African American, 4% Two or more races.

Is West Hancock Elementary a good school?

West Hancock Elementary ranks 91^st of 383 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of West Hancock Elementary attend?

Students who attend West Hancock Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Hancock Middle School
High : Hancock High School

What district is West Hancock Elementary in?

Hancock School District

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Mississippi Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.