Summary:
ZIP code 39046 (Canton, MS) is served by 7 elementary schools enrolling 2,539 students across grades PK-5, including one K-2 charter program, split between Madison County Schools, Canton Public Schools, and the standalone Sr1 College Prep & Stem Academy. Most schools serve high-poverty populations, with five of seven schools having free/reduced lunch rates above 95%, yet the area also contains some of the strongest performers in the state.
Luther Branson Elementary is the standout school in the ZIP, ranking 57th of 377 schools statewide (85th percentile) despite 95.4% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. It has the highest average test proficiency (67.6%), a remarkable 8:1 student-teacher ratio, and chronic absenteeism of just 10.0%. Madison Crossing Elementary is the largest school (761 students) and the most consistent, holding a stable top-25% ranking for three straight years with all test scores above state averages. Canton Elementary School is the most improved, jumping from the 31st to the 60th percentile in two years despite a 100% free/reduced lunch rate, while Jimmie M Goodloe Elementary has climbed to the 54th percentile and Reuben B. Myers Arts & Sciences sits at the 47th. McNeal Elementary ranks lowest in the ZIP at the 29th percentile, with all tested subjects below state averages.
5th-grade science is a clear strength across the area, with five of six traditional schools exceeding the state average. Early grades remain the biggest concern, as most schools fall below state averages in 3rd-grade math and ELA. Student-teacher ratios vary dramatically from 8:1 at Luther Branson Elementary to 29:1 at Sr1 College Prep & Stem Academy, which posts the weakest math scores despite having the lowest poverty rate. Attendance is an underappreciated strength, as every school with data falls below the state chronic absenteeism rate of 23.9%, giving the area a solid foundation for continued improvement.
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