East Webster High School

East Webster High School in Maben, MS, is a combined middle and high school serving 445 students in grades 6–12 within the small, rural Webster County Schools district. This school stands out for its exceptional graduation rate of 98.7% — far above the state average of 89.2% and the highest among nearby schools like Houston High School (92.9%), Starkville High School (91.2%), and Eupora High School (76.6%). Chronic absenteeism is also a competitive edge at 23.3%, roughly half that of Houston (43.5%) and Starkville (40.1%). Academically, East Webster shines in math and science, beating state averages by wide margins in Algebra I, Biology, and middle-grade math and science — often outperforming much larger schools like Starkville High.

The school’s main weakness is middle school English Language Arts. In 2025–2026, 8th grade ELA proficiency was just 29.8%, well below the state average of 40.9%, and 7th grade results have swung sharply from 43.4% to 24.1% to 42.7% over three years. This volatility suggests small class sizes, rather than systemic issues, may be driving year-to-year changes across many subjects. For example, Algebra I proficiency bounced from 79.4% to 46.7% and back up to 78% in recent years, while the school’s state ranking improved from 94th to 64th in one year.

Overall, East Webster is a strong, small-town school that punches above its weight. In 2025–2026, it earned a 4-star rating and ranked 64th out of 224 Mississippi high schools — better than Houston (72nd), Eupora (104th), and Starkville (126th). It also serves a lower share of economically disadvantaged students (46.5% free/reduced lunch) than those same peers. While Eupora outperformed East Webster in 7th grade ELA and math, East Webster remains the clear leader in its district. For parents, the key takeaway is a school with excellent graduation and attendance outcomes, strong STEM instruction, but room for improvement in middle school literacy.