Summary:
Zip code 38921 in Charleston, Mississippi, is served by three public schools—Charleston Elementary School (PK–4), Charleston Middle School (5–8), and Charleston High School (9–12)—all part of the East Tallahatchie School District, which is rated 1 out of 5 stars and ranks in the bottom 17% of Mississippi districts.
If you're comparing the three, Charleston High School is the clear standout. In one year, its state ranking jumped from the 5th percentile to the 50th percentile, earning a 3-star rating—the only school in the area to earn that distinction. Its Algebra I proficiency rate of 91.8% is dramatically above the state average of 66%, and biology (60%) nearly matches the state average. The high school's graduation rate of 88.3% is also close to the state's 89.2%. Meanwhile, Charleston Middle School remains fragile, ranking in the 12th percentile. It showed real improvement in 6th grade math and ELA, but 8th grade ELA collapsed to only 9.8% proficiency, and 5th grade scores dropped sharply. Charleston Elementary School is the lowest-performing school overall, with a 0-star rating and math proficiency in the low 20s, less than half the state average.
Across all three schools, about 99% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, meaning poverty is a universal factor. Chronic absenteeism is a major warning sign: it rises from 23.8% at the elementary school (near the state average) to 43.2% at the middle school and 47.6% at the high school—more than double the state average. The elementary school posts low scores even with average attendance, while the high school's impressive math and science gains show rapid progress is possible, but literacy and absenteeism remain the biggest barriers to sustained improvement.
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