Summary:
In ZIP code 38614, the Clarksdale, MS area is served by three middle schools — W.A. Higgins Academy Of Arts/International Studies, Oakhurst Intermediate School, and Coahoma County Junior High School — which together enroll 638 students across grades 5 through 8. All three are high-poverty schools, with free/reduced lunch rates between 95.93% and 97.03%. They belong to two districts: Clarksdale Municipal School District and Coahoma County School District, with the latter ranked slightly higher statewide.
Among the two schools serving grades 7–8, Coahoma County Junior High School stands out as the stronger all-around performer: it has the lowest student-teacher ratio (14.3), the best 8th-grade math proficiency (34.1%), and the best 8th-grade ELA proficiency (21.1%). It also ranks 216th of 260 statewide, just ahead of W.A. Higgins Academy Of Arts/International Studies (219th). Oakhurst Intermediate School has the highest average proficiency across its five tested subjects (33.1%), driven by strong 5th-grade science (48.7%) and ELA (39.5%), and it posts a chronic absenteeism rate of just 21.3% — well below the state average and less than half of Higgins' 44.2%.
All three schools trail state averages in every tested subject, with the largest gaps in math and science. However, W.A. Higgins Academy Of Arts/International Studies showed dramatic year-over-year improvement, jumping from the 3rd to the 16th percentile statewide; 7th-grade math proficiency more than doubled to 50.6%, and 8th-grade math rose from 5.7% to 26.1%. Oakhurst Intermediate School demonstrates that strong attendance is achievable even in high-poverty settings, yet its test scores remain low — a sign that attendance alone is not the main driver of achievement. Coahoma County Junior High School offers the most efficient staffing model and the best 8th-grade results, suggesting that smaller class sizes can help mitigate some challenges. Still, the persistent gaps in math and science across all three schools point to a need for targeted instructional support.
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