Florence Elementary

Florence Elementary in Florence, MS, is a grades 3–5 school serving 537 students as part of the Rankin County School District, and it currently ranks 5th out of 377 Mississippi elementary schools with a 5-star rating — a position it has held consistently for years. Florence has never dropped out of the top 9% of the state's elementary schools in any recorded year, making it one of the most stable high-performers in Mississippi.

Academically, Florence posts proficiency rates roughly 25–37 percentage points above the statewide average in every subject and grade. For example, 5th-grade math proficiency is 87.1% compared to the state's 49.6%, while 5th-grade science hits an impressive 92.9% — a genuine super-strength. The contrast with nearby schools is striking: Richland Upper Elementary, just 4.4 miles away, posts 5th-grade proficiency rates of only 54.5% in ELA and 42.3% in math, while McLaurin Elementary trails Florence in nearly every subject. These gaps suggest the difference is school-level culture and execution, not just district advantage.

Florence also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate among all nearby schools at 9.5%, compared to the state rate of 23.9%, and attendance has stayed strong for years. Notably, about 48% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — so this is not an affluent school. The school is effectively the upper-campus continuation of Steens Creek Elementary, located just 0.11 miles away, which serves PK–2. For parents, the bottom line is simple: Florence combines elite academics, excellent attendance, and consistency that few schools anywhere in Mississippi can match.