Summary:
Zip code 38829 in Booneville, Mississippi is served by two strong, 4-star-rated elementary schools: Anderson Elementary School (PK-4, 551 students) in the Booneville School District and Hills Chapel School (PK-8, 398 students) in the Prentiss County School District.
Both schools serve communities with significant economic need—about 72% of Anderson students and 68% of Hills Chapel students qualify for free/reduced-price lunch—yet they outperform state averages in several subjects. Anderson is the standout for early-grade math: its 4th-grade math proficiency hit 82% in 2024-2025 and 70.3% in 2025-2026, far above state averages. It also posted strong 3rd-grade math (67.8% vs. 48.8% statewide). Hills Chapel, meanwhile, shines in upper grades, with 5th-grade math at 86.1% and 5th-grade science at 83.4%, both well above Mississippi averages. Hills Chapel also holds a lower student-teacher ratio (11.7:1 vs. 16.3:1), which may support its broad success across grades 3-8.
Notably, both schools have chronic absenteeism rates under 13%—less than half the state rate of 23.9%—a positive sign of school engagement despite poverty levels. Hills Chapel is trending upward, improving its state school rank from 109th (2023-2024) to 106th (2024-2025) to 98th (2025-2026). Anderson dropped from 65th to 103rd over the same period but has stabilized. Direct comparison is tricky since the schools only share 3rd and 4th grades: Anderson dominated 3rd grade in 2025-2026, while Hills Chapel led in 4th grade. Large year-to-year swings (e.g., Hills Chapel's 3rd-grade ELA dropping from 73.7% to 28.2%) suggest small cohorts. Families have two excellent options: Anderson for early-grade math strength and a traditional PK-4 model, or Hills Chapel for a continuous PK-8 pathway, better student-teacher ratios, and a rising trajectory in math and science.
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