Lawrence County High School

Lawrence County High School is a public high school in Monticello, Mississippi, serving 529 students in grades 9–12 within the Lawrence County School District. The school faces significant challenges: its chronic absenteeism rate was 46.5% in 2023–2024, nearly double the state average of 23.9%, and its graduation rate has declined steadily to 81.2% versus the state’s 89.2%. End-of-course state test proficiency also trails well behind Mississippi averages—for example, just 35.9% of students scored proficient on English II in 2025–2026 compared to 49.3% statewide, and Biology proficiency was 42.2% versus 63.1% statewide.

Comparing the school to its nearby peer, Brookhaven High School, highlights that similar economic conditions do not fully explain the outcomes. Brookhaven, with a comparable share of low-income students, posted a chronic absenteeism rate of only 29.0%, a slightly higher graduation rate of 82.8%, and stronger proficiency in Biology and English II. Meanwhile, the small, selective Mississippi School Of The Arts reports a 100% graduation rate, but it serves a very different, audition-based student body and is not a realistic benchmark. The gap between Lawrence County High and Brookhaven suggests that school-level factors—such as attendance, engagement, and instructional stability—matter a great deal.

There is one notable bright spot: Algebra I proficiency jumped from 32.1% in 2024–2025 to 50% in 2025–2026, surpassing Brookhaven’s 41.5% that year, though such scores have swung widely in recent years. The school’s overall ranking has slipped from the 38th percentile a decade ago to the 19th percentile, and it currently holds a 1-star rating. The most urgent priorities are reducing chronic absenteeism and stabilizing literacy instruction, since English II scores have remained stuck in the mid-to-high 30s for several years. Addressing these core issues will be essential for reversing the school’s downward trajectory.