Best Public Schools in Zip Code 38683

In zip code 38683, the rural community of Walnut, Mississippi, is served by just two schools within the North Tippah School District: Walnut Attendance Center, a K-12 campus with 480 students, and Chalybeate Elementary, a PK-8 school with 264 students. With no standalone middle or high school, Walnut Attendance Center serves as the area's combined secondary school and is the only campus reporting graduation and end-of-course results. Both schools serve high-poverty populations, with 73.1% of Walnut students and 78.8% of Chalybeate students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. The district as a whole holds a 3-star rating and ranks 55th out of 134 Mississippi districts.

Chalybeate Elementary is the standout elementary campus, achieving well above the district and state in several subjects despite its higher poverty rate. In 2025-2026, Chalybeate posted 66.6% proficiency in 3rd-grade math, 66.7% in 3rd-grade ELA, 69.6% in 6th-grade ELA, and 79.0% in 8th-grade science, all significantly above state averages. Meanwhile, Walnut Attendance Center excels at the secondary level, boasting a 94.4% graduation rate, 85.9% proficiency in Biology EOC, 75.4% in Algebra I, and an exceptional 92.6% proficiency rate in 7th-grade math. Walnut's chronic absenteeism rate is 14.8%, while Chalybeate's is even lower at 12.2% — both roughly half the state average of 23.9%.

High poverty does not appear to limit achievement here, and low absenteeism is a clear district-wide strength. Science is a consistent bright spot at both campuses. However, there are specific weaknesses, particularly Walnut's 3rd-grade math (10% proficiency) and 4th-grade math (16.2%), along with some below-average ELA results in middle grades at both schools. These issues are isolated rather than systemic. Chalybeate has maintained a top-third state ranking, improving from the 55th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 63rd percentile in 2025-2026. Overall, these two schools provide solid educational options in a high-poverty rural area, with the most pressing opportunity for improvement being early elementary mathematics at Walnut Attendance Center.