Best Public Schools in Zip Code 38947

Zip code 38947 encompasses North Carrollton, Mississippi, and is served by two public schools in the Carroll County School District, which together cover grades PK–12 for 734 students. The district is ranked 127 out of 134 districts in Mississippi, placing it in the 5th percentile with a 0-star rating. Marshall Elementary School serves grades PK–6 with 391 students, while J.Z. George High School serves grades 7–12 with 343 students, meaning there is no separate middle school in the area. Both schools serve high-poverty populations, with 84.14% of Marshall students and 96.79% of J.Z. George students receiving free or reduced lunch.

Neither school ranks as a standout academically, but J.Z. George High School is the stronger of the two. It ranks 196th out of 224 high schools (12th percentile) with a 1-star rating, while Marshall Elementary School ranks 350th out of 377 elementary schools (7th percentile) with 0 stars. J.Z. George High School's graduation rate of 88.9% nearly matches the state average of 89.2%, an impressive feat given its extreme poverty rate. The high school also exceeds the state in U.S. History end-of-course exams (74.1% proficient vs. 69.7% statewide). Marshall Elementary School shows a bright spot in 5th-grade science, improving dramatically from 41.6% to 60.5% proficiency year over year.

However, overall test scores lag the state by 20 to 38 percentage points in nearly every subject, with the widest gaps in math, including a 37.8-point deficit in 8th-grade math. Both schools have also declined in relative standing over the past three years. Chronic absenteeism is a concern, particularly at J.Z. George High School, where 27.6% of students are chronically absent compared to the state average of 23.9%; Marshall Elementary School sits slightly better at 22.5%. Most subject scores dropped from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, with sharp declines in 3rd-grade ELA, 8th-grade math, and Algebra I. Families considering these schools should recognize that while academic performance is well below state averages, J.Z. George High School's graduation rate and Marshall Elementary School's improving science scores offer glimmers of hope within a district facing significant challenges.