J. E. Johnson Elementary School

J. E. Johnson Elementary School in Prentiss, MS, serves 335 students in grades PK-5 within the Jeff Davis County School District, a district ranked in the lower half of Mississippi schools. The school serves a student body where nearly all students (99.1%) qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and it has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Mississippi elementary schools over the past decade, currently ranking 298th out of 377 schools.

In the classroom, J. E. Johnson Elementary School's math and reading scores are well below state averages. In 2025-26, 4th grade math proficiency was 29.1% compared to the state average of 51.5%, and 4th grade reading was 34.5% versus 52.4% statewide. Fourth grade has been a particular weak point across multiple years. However, there are bright spots: 5th grade science proficiency reached 64.3%, close to the state average and higher than several nearby schools. The school also showed strong improvement in some subjects from 2024-25 to 2025-26, including a jump in 3rd grade math from 22.4% to 39.6% and 4th grade reading from 17.8% to 34.5%.

The comparison with Carver Elementary is striking. Both schools serve nearly identical student populations within the same district, yet Carver ranks in the 57th percentile while Johnson sits in the 21st percentile. In 4th grade math, Carver's proficiency was 59.5% versus 29.1% at Johnson – a 30-point gap. This suggests that improvement is possible despite similar challenges. Chronic absenteeism (22.5%) is another area of concern, especially when compared to higher-performing nearby schools like New Hebron School (12.4%) and Carver (15.6%). On a more positive note, Johnson outperforms Monticello Elementary across every subject, and its science scores show that its teachers are capable of delivering strong instruction.