Laurel High School

Laurel High School is a public high school in Laurel, Mississippi, serving 715 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Laurel School District, which is ranked 81 out of 130 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Laurel High School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Mississippi high schools, with its highest ranking being 152 out of 232 schools in the 2024-2025 school year. Its four-year graduation rates have fluctuated between 83.9% and 89.4%, slightly below the state average. The school also has high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 23.9% to 59.8% in recent years, significantly higher than the state average. Laurel High School's proficiency rates on the MAAP exams are consistently lower than the state averages across all subject areas, including Algebra I, English II, Biology, and U.S. History. Additionally, the school has a 100% free and reduced-lunch rate, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among its student population.

When comparing Laurel High School to nearby high schools, such as Heidelberg High School, South Jones High School, West Jones High School, and Northeast Jones High School, it becomes evident that Laurel High School is underperforming in several key areas. The nearby schools, particularly those in the Jones County School District, have consistently higher test scores, graduation rates, and statewide rankings than Laurel High School. The data suggests that Laurel High School could benefit from targeted interventions and support to address the areas of concern, such as improving attendance, providing additional academic support, and exploring ways to better serve the high-poverty student population.