Best Public Schools in Zip Code 38748

In zip code 38748, located in Hollandale, Mississippi, there are three public schools—Sanders Elementary School, Simmons Junior High School, and Simmons High School—serving grades PK-12 within the Hollandale School District, which ranks in the bottom quarter of Mississippi districts. Nearly all students in this small district (about 534 total) are economically disadvantaged, with free/reduced lunch rates at 97-100%, yet attendance is a relative bright spot: all three schools have chronic absenteeism rates below the state average of 23.9%. The district also benefits from low student-teacher ratios (10.6 to 14.1), though small enrollments make year-to-year test scores volatile.

When comparing schools, Simmons High School stands out as the strongest current performer, earning 2 stars and climbing from the 19th to the 35th percentile statewide. It boasts a 91.7% graduation rate, above-average Algebra I (68%) and U.S. History (72.4%) proficiency, but struggles badly in English II (27.7% vs. 49.3% statewide). Simmons Junior High School is the most consistent middle-level performer, with 2-star ratings in both ranking years; notably, 7th grade ELA (41.2%) beats the state average, and 8th grade science (54.8%) essentially matches it. Sanders Elementary School is the weakest link, stuck at 1 star (14th percentile), with severe math deficits—only 10.3% of 4th graders and 17.4% of 5th graders are proficient—though 5th grade science (65.2%) and 5th grade ELA (47.8%) show promise.

A key takeaway is the sharp disconnect between elementary math struggles and high school math success, suggesting strong instruction at the upper level that could be replicated earlier. English language arts is a persistent district-wide weakness, especially English II. Also note a data caveat: Sanders Elementary reports test scores for grades 6-8 despite being listed as PK-5, which may indicate reconfiguration or data errors. Overall, Hollandale has pockets of excellence (7th grade ELA, 8th grade science, Algebra I) and strong attendance, but elementary math and English II remain critical areas for improvement.