Pierce Street Elementary School

Pierce Street Elementary School serves 345 students in grades 3–5 in Tupelo, Mississippi, as part of the Tupelo Public School District. The school has a notable recent history: it was once among Mississippi's top elementary schools, ranking in the 93rd percentile in 2015–2016. By 2025–2026, however, its statewide rank had fallen to the 47th percentile. No other nearby school has experienced such a dramatic decline—Rankin Elementary School, just under a mile away, has remained relatively stable in the 55th–64th percentile range over the same period.

The school's academic profile is uneven. Fifth grade is a clear strength: math proficiency reached 53.0% in 2025–2026, the highest among Tupelo's grades 3–5 elementary schools, and 5th grade ELA hit 55.6%, matching the state average. Science scores have also consistently hovered near or above state levels. However, 3rd and 4th grade math are significant weaknesses, with proficiency rates of 31.5% and 37.3%, respectively—well below both district and state averages. This underperformance is notable because Pierce Street has a low student–teacher ratio of 11.2 and a lower poverty rate (66.4% free/reduced lunch) than most nearby schools, including Rankin Elementary School, which has a higher poverty rate yet posted much stronger 3rd grade math scores.

Chronic absenteeism appears to be a key factor. Pierce Street's chronic absenteeism rate was 26.2% in 2023–2024, well above the state average of 23.9% and higher than most nearby schools such as Lawndale Elementary School (16.6%) and Rankin (15.2%). The rate has more than doubled since 2018–2019, when it was 11.5%, and the rise tracks closely with the school's ranking decline. The encouraging news: with small class sizes, relatively lower poverty, and a clear bright spot in 5th grade performance, Pierce Street has the structural advantages to reverse its downward trend if attendance and early math intervention become priorities.