Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 38863

Zip code 38863 in Pontotoc, Mississippi, is home to three elementary schools serving a combined 1,787 students across grades PK-5, split between the Pontotoc City School District (ranked 21st in MS) and the Pontotoc County School District (ranked 28th in MS), with both districts earning 4-star ratings. The schools are built around different grade bands: Pontotoc Elementary School serves PK-2, DT Cox Elementary School serves grades 3-4, and South Pontotoc Elementary School serves K-5.

DT Cox Elementary School is the standout overall performer, ranking 86th of 377 schools statewide while posting the strongest 4th grade math proficiency in the area (73.9%, 22.4 points above the state). It also leads in attendance with only 16.3% chronic absenteeism and has the lowest student-teacher ratio at 12.8. South Pontotoc Elementary School is the largest and most economically challenged school (99.61% free/reduced lunch) yet still beats state proficiency averages in most subjects, including 71% 4th grade math and 62.3% 4th grade ELA. However, its chronic absenteeism rate of 42.7% is exceptionally high, more than double DT Cox’s rate. Pontotoc Elementary School, serving the youngest students, has no test data but keeps attendance near the state average at 24.8%.

All ranked schools in the zip code are 4-star rated and above the state median. DT Cox has been consistently strong, while South Pontotoc improved from 3 stars to 4 stars and shows encouraging year-over-year gains in 4th grade ELA (+11.9 points) and math (+5.3 points), though 3rd grade math dropped 14.6 points. Since Pontotoc City’s students move from Pontotoc Elementary to DT Cox after 2nd grade, DT Cox’s 3rd grade results partially reflect early literacy work at the feeder school. South Pontotoc keeps students through 5th grade, making it the only school in the zip code with 5th grade test data. For parents, the main takeaway is that this area offers strong elementary options, with DT Cox leading on academics and attendance, while South Pontotoc demonstrates resilience despite poverty and chronic absenteeism.