Summary:
Zip code 38852 serves the Iuka, Mississippi area and contains three public schools in the Tishomingo County School District—Iuka Elementary School (K-4), Iuka Middle School (5-8), and Tishomingo County High School (9-12)—that together educate roughly 1,325 students. All three schools serve a similar population, with free/reduced lunch rates of about 64-67% and student-teacher ratios between 11.4 and 14.1.
Iuka Middle School is the standout success story. Its state ranking has climbed three straight years, from the 45th percentile to the 66th percentile, making it the highest-ranked school in the zip code. It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the cluster (16.7%) and excels in science, with 76.7% of 5th graders and 70.1% of 8th graders proficient. This progress is especially noteworthy because all three schools have nearly identical poverty levels, suggesting the middle school's attendance culture and instruction are driving its rise.
The other two schools face challenges. Iuka Elementary School has fallen from the 74th to the 42nd percentile in two years, with 3rd grade math proficiency dropping to just 27.8%, a 21-point gap below the state. Tishomingo County High School shines in Algebra I (81.3% proficient vs. 66% statewide) and graduation (91.3%), but has a 30.9% chronic absenteeism rate and saw English II proficiency collapse by 20 points to 37.8%. The district's bigger pattern is STEM strength with ELA weakness, so prioritizing early math and high school literacy are the most urgent needs.
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