Monticello Elementary

Monticello Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades K-5 in Monticello, Mississippi, with 398 students. It is part of the Lawrence County School District, which is ranked 75 out of 130 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. Unfortunately, Monticello Elementary has consistently been ranked in the bottom half of Mississippi elementary schools over the past 10 years, with a current ranking of 352 out of 383 schools.

One of the key issues at Monticello Elementary is its very high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 23.9% to 31.0% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, the school's test scores on the MAAP (Mississippi Academic Assessment Program) are consistently below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2024-2025, only 29.1% of 3rd graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 49.4% statewide. The school also has an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 86.93% to 99.1% over the past few years, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When comparing Monticello Elementary to the nearby New Hebron Attendance Center and Topeka Tilton Attendance Center, both of which are in the same Lawrence County School District, it becomes clear that Monticello is underperforming. These other schools have higher test scores, lower chronic absenteeism rates, and lower free/reduced lunch rates. Additionally, Monticello Elementary's ranking and performance on the MAAP assessments have declined over the past 10 years, suggesting that the school is struggling to improve student outcomes and may need to implement significant interventions to address the underlying issues of poverty and chronic absenteeism.