Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 38637

Zip code 38637 in Horn Lake, Mississippi is served by three elementary schools—Horn Lake Intermediate School (grades 3–5), Horn Lake Elementary School (PK–2), and Shadow Oaks Elementary School (PK–2)—all part of the DeSoto County School District, a district ranked in the 66th percentile statewide. The two primary schools serve the youngest students and therefore do not have state test data, leaving Horn Lake Intermediate as the only school in this zip code with academic accountability results. Across all three schools, enrollment ranges from 423 to 914 students, with Horn Lake Intermediate being the largest.

Economically, all three schools serve a high-need population, with free/reduced-price lunch rates between 72.88% and 80.14%. Shadow Oaks Elementary School has the highest poverty rate (80.14%) but also the lowest student-teacher ratio at 17.2, while Horn Lake Elementary School has the lowest poverty rate (72.88%) yet the highest chronic absenteeism rate at 33.8%. Horn Lake Intermediate School, the only school with test scores, has struggled academically: 3rd grade math proficiency is just 16.3%, compared to the district rate of 44.1% and state rate of 48.8%, and the school's accountability rank has fallen from the 25th to the 12th percentile over three years. Chronic absenteeism is a systemic issue across all three schools, with rates above 32%, notably higher than the district (26.4%) and state (23.9%) averages.

There are some bright spots. Fifth grade science proficiency at Horn Lake Intermediate improved dramatically from 41.8% to 57.5% in one year, making it the school's strongest subject. However, math is a major concern, especially in 3rd and 4th grades, where proficiency dropped by 13.9 and 20.2 percentage points respectively. Parents should note that because the two primary schools serve PK–2, the academic profile of this zip code rests almost entirely on Horn Lake Intermediate, which underperforms both its district and the state across nearly every subject. Attendance and early-grade support will be critical areas for families to watch.