Northwest Elementary

Northwest Elementary is a PK–5 school in Flowood, Mississippi, serving 477 students as part of the Rankin County School District, a 4-star district ranked 25th out of 134 statewide. The school currently holds a solid 4-star rating and ranks 70th out of 377 Mississippi elementary schools — placing it in the top fifth of the state. However, its trajectory is worth noting: Northwest ranked 20th in Mississippi in 2022–23 (5 stars) and has slipped each year since, now sitting behind several of its own district neighbors.

Academically, Northwest's early grades are a clear strength. In 3rd grade, the school beats district averages in both ELA (62.3% vs. 61.5%) and math (67.2% vs. 62.4%). Fourth grade, though, is a significant weak spot: just 56.7% of students are proficient in ELA and 57.8% in math — roughly 12 points below the district in both subjects. The good news is this may be a cohort issue rather than a systemic problem. The current 4th graders entered that grade already behind, while the previous 4th grade class scored very well. Another consistent bright spot is 5th grade science, where proficiency has held steady between 82% and 86% over the past four years.

Compared to its immediate neighbors, Northwest is being outpaced. Northshore Elementary (ranked 8th in the state) and Oakdale Elementary (ranked 16th), both just a few miles away, beat Northwest in nearly every grade and subject tested. Yet Northwest has real advantages: a low student-teacher ratio of 13.2, among the best in the area, and a chronic absenteeism rate of 12.6% that — while rising — remains well below the state average of 23.9%. Against nearby schools in Jackson and Pearl districts, Northwest is clearly the stronger choice. In short, this is a good school with strong fundamentals, but parents in the area may want to keep an eye on whether it can reverse its recent slide relative to its top-performing neighbors.