Summary:
ZIP code 38619 in Como, MS is served by 2 schools in the North Panola district—Como Primary School (PK–2) and North Panola Middle School (6–8)—together enrolling 510 students in a high-poverty area where nearly all students qualify for free/reduced lunch. There are no high schools or schools serving grades 3–5 within the ZIP code, so students must travel outside the area for those grade levels.
Both schools serve extremely high-poverty populations, with free/reduced lunch eligibility at roughly 99%. However, Como Primary School stands out as the relative bright spot: its chronic absenteeism rate is 27.1%, well below the district rate of 36.3%, and its most recent state ranking (28th percentile, 2017–18) is notably stronger than the middle school's. North Panola Middle School ranks in the 8th percentile (2025–26) and has a chronic absenteeism rate of 37.3%—meaning more than one in three students is chronically absent. The middle school has a much lower student-teacher ratio (11.8 vs. 19.6 at Como Primary) yet still performs far below state averages, suggesting class size alone isn't driving the achievement gap.
The most encouraging news comes from North Panola Middle School's recent math gains: 7th grade math proficiency jumped 8.9 points to 40.0% and 8th grade math jumped 10.9 points to 39.7%, though 6th grade math fell 9.6 points to 18.3%. Reading remains a major concern, with ELA proficiency between 18.1% and 26.7% across grades—roughly 17–23 points below state averages. Science proficiency (27.7%) trails the state by over 30 points. With both schools serving essentially the same high-poverty demographic, the key difference is absenteeism: Como Primary's lower rate may help explain its relatively stronger standing. Still, no academic bright spot exists at the elementary level, and Como Primary's historical ranking has trended downward since its 39th-percentile showing in 2015–16.
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