Summary:
Zip code 38658 is served by just one elementary-level school, Pope School, a PK-8 campus with 549 students in the South Panola School District where 73.59% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch. Pope School holds a 3-star rating and ranks 125th out of 377 Mississippi schools, placing it in the 67th percentile — well above the state median and a solid improvement from the prior year.
In 2025-2026, Pope School outperformed its district in average proficiency across English, math, and science, while meeting or exceeding state averages in math and science. Its ELA scores are particularly strong, led by 5th and 3rd grade, and 6th grade math stands out at 61.9% proficiency versus 44% district and 52.7% state averages. The school also posted notable year-over-year gains in 8th grade science, 6th grade math, and 5th grade math, which helped drive its better state ranking. However, 7th grade ELA is a major concern, dropping from 45.9% to 26.8% proficiency — far below district and state levels — and 5th grade math remains somewhat below state averages.
Chronic absenteeism affects about 1 in 4 students, which is better than the district’s 33.9% rate but slightly worse than the state’s 23.9%. Elementary grades are clearly stronger than middle grades, with the 7th grade slump representing a key area for intervention. Despite these challenges, Pope School is a dependable, mid-to-upper-tier school in Mississippi, outperforming its district in most subjects and showing meaningful improvement in math and science over the past year.
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