Summary:
ZIP code 38619 contains just one elementary school, Como Primary School, which serves grades PK–2 with 267 students in the North Panola district. As the only elementary school in the area, it is the sole option for families with young children. The school serves an almost universally low-income population, with 98.88% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student–teacher ratio is 19.6, which is relatively high for a primary school, particularly one with this level of economic need, and it may limit the amount of individual attention students receive.
Academic rankings show historically low and somewhat volatile performance. In 2015–2016, Como Primary School ranked 239 out of 394 Mississippi elementary schools, putting it in the 39th percentile with a 2-star rating. The following year it dropped sharply to 339 out of 406 (17th percentile) with a 1-star rating, before partially recovering to 289 out of 404 (28th percentile) with 1 star in 2017–2018, the most recent ranking year available. This means the school has consistently placed in the bottom third of the state in recent data, though the last known year showed some improvement over the prior year.
Attendance data tells a mixed story. Chronic absenteeism at Como Primary School is 27.1%, which is 9.2 percentage points better than the North Panola district average of 36.3%, but 3.2 percentage points worse than the state average of 23.9%. The school is doing noticeably better than its district peers at getting students to school, but still has room to improve relative to the rest of Mississippi. Because Como Primary School only serves grades PK–2, early literacy, attendance, and family engagement are especially critical. Families should weigh these academic and attendance challenges, along with the very high poverty rate, when considering this school.
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