Laurel Upper Elementary

Laurel Upper Elementary is a public elementary school serving grades 4-5 in the Laurel School District in Laurel, Mississippi, with a student population of 295 that is predominantly African American (80.34%).

Despite its small class sizes, Laurel Upper Elementary significantly underperforms the state and district averages in standardized test scores, with only 16.5% of 4th graders and 18.7% of 5th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to state averages of 53.4% and 51.9% respectively. The school's math proficiency rates are even lower, at 12.4% for 4th grade and 11.9% for 5th grade, compared to state averages of 56.7% and 44.3%. This poor academic performance is likely exacerbated by the school's 100% free and reduced-price lunch rate, indicating that all students come from low-income households, and its lower-than-average spending per student of $7,878.

Interestingly, Laurel Upper Elementary's performance is significantly lower than that of other elementary schools in the Laurel School District, such as Laurel Magnet School Of The Arts, which consistently ranks among the top schools in the state. Additionally, the school's academic outcomes lag behind those of William J Berry Elementary School, which has a student population that is 98.74% African American, suggesting that factors beyond race, such as socioeconomic status and school-level policies, may be more significant drivers of academic achievement.