Summary:
Zip code 38841 in Ecru, Mississippi is home to two middle-level schools—North Pontotoc Middle School and North Pontotoc Upper Elementary—serving roughly 605 students in grades 5 through 8 within the Pontotoc County School District, a 4-star district ranked 28th out of 134 districts statewide. Both schools serve an extremely high-poverty population, with nearly 99% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, yet they post several subjects above state averages.
North Pontotoc Middle School is the standout for advanced coursework: 100% of its Algebra I students scored proficient on the MAAP End-of-Course exam in both 2024–2025 and 2025–2026, far outpacing the state average of roughly 66%, and 8th grade science proficiency hit 75.9% versus 57.8% statewide. However, its state rank has slipped from the 83rd to the 65th percentile over two years, with 7th grade ELA and math both falling below state averages in 2025–2026. North Pontotoc Upper Elementary, by contrast, shines in 6th grade math (66.2% proficient vs. 52.7% statewide) and 5th grade math (56.2% vs. 49.6%), but 6th grade ELA is a clear weak point at just 37.6% proficiency versus 48.0% statewide.
Chronic absenteeism at both schools (27.0% at the middle school and 23.0% at the upper elementary) runs well below the district's 34.1% rate, indicating solid attendance despite high poverty. The 5th-to-6th grade transition shows a striking divergence: math proficiency climbs from 5th to 6th grade, while ELA drops sharply, suggesting math instruction is well aligned across those grades but literacy support needs attention as students enter 6th grade. Overall, families in 38841 will find two schools that beat the odds in math and science, with North Pontotoc Middle School offering an exceptional Algebra I pathway and North Pontotoc Upper Elementary providing a strong math foundation—though both would benefit from renewed focus on 6th and 7th grade reading.
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