Jefferson Davis County High School

Jefferson Davis County High School is a small, rural public high school in Bassfield, Mississippi, serving 368 students in grades 9–12 as the only high school in the Jeff Davis County School District. The school's state ranking has fallen to 195 out of 224 Mississippi high schools (13th percentile, 1 star) for 2025–2026, down from 158 out of 226 in 2022–2023. Over the past decade, the school has generally hovered in the lower third of Mississippi high schools, with occasional 2-star years followed by dips.

Test scores trail state averages in every End of Course subject. Only 41.8% of students are proficient in Algebra I versus 66.0% statewide, and just 36.5% are proficient in Biology compared to 63.1% statewide. The Biology gap is especially stark: West Marion High School, fewer than 20 miles away, posts an 84.9% Biology proficiency rate—nearly 50 points higher. Algebra I proficiency has also collapsed from 77.6% in 2022–2023 to 41.8%, a 36-point drop. Among nearby schools, only Collins High School ranks lower; Columbia High School, Seminary High, and Sumrall High School all score far higher. On the bright side, the graduation rate is a genuine strength at 90.2%, above the state average of 89.2% and higher than several neighboring schools with stronger test scores.

Chronic absenteeism has improved dramatically, from 59.2% in 2021–2022 to 32.5% in 2023–2024, though it remains above the state average of 23.9%. The school serves an almost entirely economically disadvantaged population—99.18% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch—yet several nearby schools with similar poverty levels achieve much better results, suggesting socioeconomic challenges are real but not the whole story. The student-teacher ratio is favorable at 11.8:1, smaller than Sumrall High School's 13.0 or Columbia High School's 13.7, but that has not translated into stronger academics. In short, Jefferson Davis graduates its students at a respectable rate, but low proficiency in core subjects like Algebra and Biology means many graduates may not be fully prepared for college or careers, making this a school worth watching for targeted improvement.