Summary:
ZIP code 38748 is served by a single elementary school, Sanders Elementary School in Hollandale, MS, which enrolls 246 students in grades PK–5 (with state test data also reported for grades 6–8) and sits within the Hollandale district, where every student qualifies for free or reduced lunch.
Because Sanders Elementary is the only elementary school in the area, it stands out by necessity as the sole option for local families — and its profile is a challenging one. The school has earned a 1-star rating for three consecutive years and consistently ranks in the bottom 14–17% of Mississippi elementary schools (323rd out of 377 schools in 2025–2026). The student–teacher ratio is 14.1, and chronic absenteeism is 22.6%, slightly below the state average of 23.9%. Test proficiency tells a mixed story: mathematics is the school’s deepest weakness, with 4th-grade math at just 10.3% proficiency versus 51.5% statewide, and 7th-grade math at 17.8% versus 57.7%. English language arts is generally stronger, particularly in 5th grade (47.8% proficient) and 8th grade (38.9% proficient), though still below state averages. Science is the clear bright spot: 5th-grade science proficiency jumped 19.5 points in one year to 65.2%, just 6.3 points below the state, and 8th-grade science reached 50%.
Families should note the extreme year-to-year swings in scores. For example, 4th-grade ELA plummeted from 58.4% to 27.6% and 4th-grade math dropped from 41.7% to 10.3% in a single year — while 5th-grade science surged. These large fluctuations, combined with a persistently low overall ranking, suggest instability that may stem from small class sizes, changing student groups, or inconsistent instruction. The data also carry a notable anomaly: the school is labeled PK–5, yet test results include grades 6–8, which could mean the campus actually serves a broader grade span or shares district-level scores. Overall, Sanders Elementary serves a deeply economically disadvantaged population, and while its science gains show that progress is possible, math intervention and academic consistency remain urgent priorities for the community.
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