Purvis Upper Elementary

Purvis Upper Elementary is a grades 3–5 school in Purvis, Mississippi, serving 377 students as part of the Lamar County School District, a district ranked 30th out of 134 in Mississippi. The school currently ranks 145th out of 377 Mississippi elementary schools (62nd percentile, 3 stars), placing it above the state median but behind several of its district neighbors like Oak Grove Elementary, Bellevue Elementary, and even smaller schools like Baxterville School. It is paired with Purvis Lower Elementary about 0.7 miles away.

Academically, Purvis Upper has clear strengths and some soft spots. On the 2025–2026 MAAP tests, the school matched or exceeded both district and state averages in 3rd-grade math (65.3% proficient) and 5th-grade math (54.2%), and its 5th-grade science score (75.2%) was a standout, beating both the district (71.5%) and state (71.5%) averages. However, it fell below district averages in ELA at every grade level, with 5th-grade ELA (49.5%) trailing both the district (59.1%) and state (55.8%). Fourth-grade math was another weak spot at 47.6% proficient versus 58.4% for the district and 51.5% statewide.

What makes the school particularly interesting is that it serves a less economically disadvantaged population than many nearby schools, with 54.6% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, compared to 90–100% at schools like Lumberton Elementary School, Hawkins Elementary, and Rowan Elementary. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 14.7% is also well below the state average of 23.9%. Yet schools with much higher poverty rates, like Rowan Elementary and Dixie Attendance Center, rank higher. The school is improving after a dip in 2024–2025—rebounding from the 50th to the 62nd percentile—but closing the gaps in 4th-grade math and 5th-grade reading will be key to reaching the upper ranks of Lamar County schools.