Summary:
Zip code 39083 (Hazlehurst, MS) is served by 3 public schools—an elementary, middle, and high school—all part of the Hazlehurst City School District, which currently ranks in the lower half of Mississippi districts. The district serves roughly 1,320 students across PK-12, and nearly every student qualifies for free/reduced lunch, reflecting a highly economically disadvantaged community. Chronic absenteeism is elevated at every school, with the high school facing the most severe challenges.
Among the three schools, Hazlehurst High School stands out for dramatic one-year improvement: its statewide percentile rank jumped from 9 to 40, Biology proficiency more than doubled to 69.5% (now above the state), and English II rose to 40.4%. However, it still lags in Algebra I and has a 56.9% chronic absenteeism rate and a 77.3% graduation rate. Hazlehurst Middle School is the most consistent, earning 2 stars three years running and posting a strong 6th grade math proficiency of 55.9%—above the state average. Yet 8th grade math falls sharply to 33.3%. Hazlehurst Elementary is the area’s most academically vulnerable school, with math proficiency ranging from just 17.0% to 27.3% (state: 48.8%–51.5%) and a ranking that has slipped from the 23rd to 18th percentile over three years.
The clearest takeaway is that math is the district’s most serious weakness, especially in elementary grades and Algebra I. Bright spots include middle school 6th grade math, high school Biology, and 5th grade science, all near or above state averages. Chronic absenteeism, however, undermines progress—particularly at the high school, where more than half of students are chronically absent. While the three schools share a tough context of poverty and missed instruction, the middle and high schools are showing signs of stability or improvement, while the elementary school needs urgent support in mathematics.
Thank you for your feedback!