Summary:
Zip code 38663 in rural Mississippi is served by one elementary school, Ripley Elementary School, which educates students in grades K-4 and is part of the South Tippah School District.
Ripley Elementary is the only elementary school in this zip code, so it stands alone by default — and it brings a mix of impressive strengths and areas needing attention. The school enrolls 611 students, with a student-teacher ratio of 15.7:1 and a very high poverty rate: nearly 85% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite those challenges, 3rd-grade math is a standout area: 73.3% of 3rd graders are proficient, far above the state’s 48.8% and also above the district’s 65.8%. 3rd-grade ELA also beats state averages, with 60.4% proficiency compared to 48.5% statewide. Another bright spot is chronic absenteeism, which sits at just 11.8% — well below the district’s 18.7% and the state’s 23.9%. That low absenteeism in a high-poverty school hints at strong family engagement and a supportive school climate.
The concern is 4th grade, particularly in literacy. Only 40.5% of 4th graders are proficient in ELA, down sharply from 53.6% the prior year and well below the state average of 52.4%. 4th-grade math also dropped from 73.2% to 53.4%, though it is still slightly ahead of the state. This year-to-year volatility is worth watching, as 3rd-grade scores improved while 4th-grade scores fell — a pattern that could reflect cohort differences or instructional transitions. The school’s overall state ranking has slipped over three years, from 87th (78th percentile, 4 stars) in 2023–2024 to 131st (65th percentile, 3 stars) in 2025–2026. While Ripley Elementary remains above the median and outperforms state averages in several subjects, the declining ranking and weakness in 4th-grade ELA suggest that focused literacy support in the upper grades could help reverse the trend and return the school to its former 4-star status.
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