Summary:
Zip code 38860 in Okolona, Mississippi, is served by three public schools—Okolona Elementary School (K–5), Okolona Middle School (6–8), and Okolona High School (9–12)—all part of the Okolona School District.
The district serves a small, close-knit student body of just 512 children, and every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. The district itself is rated 1 star, ranking 102 out of 134 Mississippi districts. There are notable differences between schools. Okolona High School stands out academically, earning the district’s highest school-level rank (37th percentile) and posting exceptional Biology proficiency: 81.1% of students are proficient, far above the state’s 63.1%. Its graduation rate of 89.1% matches the state average. Meanwhile, Okolona Middle School has the district’s best attendance, with just 5.9% chronic absenteeism—less than a quarter of the state’s 23.9%—and its math and English scores improved over the past year. Unfortunately, Okolona Elementary School is the main concern: its rank slipped to the 17th percentile, and only 17.2% of third graders are proficient in reading.
Despite high poverty, chronic absenteeism across the district is remarkably low at 11.1%, and science is a clear strength at all levels, especially high school Biology. However, early reading is a critical weakness, and Algebra I proficiency at the high school collapsed from 82.1% to 47.5% in one year—a dramatic drop. The middle school’s improving math scores and the district’s strong attendance are encouraging signs, but the elementary school’s declining reading performance and the overall low district rating remain serious challenges for families to consider.
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