Summary:
Zip code 38740 contains just one school: Casper E Hall, an elementary school in Duncan, MS, serving 194 students in grades PK–6 within the North Bolivar Consolidated district. With no middle or high schools in the zip code, students must transition to another school after 6th grade, likely outside the immediate area. The school serves a very high-poverty population, with 98.45% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, yet it has earned a 3-star state rating for the 2025–2026 school year.
Casper E Hall has several notable strengths. The school's state ranking has improved from 200 out of 390 schools (2 stars) in 2023–2024 to 177 out of 377 (3 stars) in 2025–2026. Chronic absenteeism is just 5.5%, dramatically lower than the district's 18.7% and the state's 23.9%. In 2025–2026, 5th graders posted exceptional results, with 85.7% scoring proficient in science (compared to 71.5% statewide) and 76.2% proficient in ELA, well above both district and state averages. The previous year, 4th graders achieved 95% proficiency in math and 80% in ELA.
However, the school faces challenges. Math proficiency consistently trails state averages, particularly in upper grades — 6th-grade math was 34.4% proficient in 2025–2026 versus 52.7% statewide. There is also significant year-to-year volatility due to small class sizes. For example, 4th-grade ELA dropped from 80% to 30% and 4th-grade math fell from 95% to 50% between school years, while 3rd-grade math dropped sharply from 70.8% to 25.0%. These swings likely reflect different cohorts of students rather than true school-wide trends. Overall, Casper E Hall demonstrates real strengths in attendance and science, with math proficiency as the primary area needing attention.
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