Summary:
Zip code 39095, in and around Lexington, Mississippi, has a single high school, Holmes County Central High School, serving grades 9 through 12 with 714 students as part of the Holmes County Consolidated School District. Every student at the school qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the entire student body in the economically disadvantaged category.
Holmes County Central High School is the only high school in the area, making it the sole educational hub for grades 9-12. The school has a 13.7 to 1 student-teacher ratio and earned a 1-star rating, ranking 176th out of 224 Mississippi high schools in the 2025-2026 school year. Its graduation rate of 92% is a bright spot, exceeding the state average of 89.2%. However, chronic absenteeism is a major concern: 46.9% of students are chronically absent, nearly double the state rate of 23.9%. Academically, Algebra I proficiency was 61.6% in 2025-2026, just 4.4 points below the state average, and U.S. History reached 60.1%, only 9.6 points below the state. English II proficiency was 32.2% and Biology 37.7%, representing significant gaps.
Several takeaway themes stand out. The school's above-average graduation rate, despite low test scores, shows that most students are still finishing high school. Chronic absenteeism appears tightly linked to poverty, and improving attendance may be the most effective way to boost achievement. Biology proficiency has been extremely low, though it improved from 24.5% to 37.7% year over year. English II has remained stuck around 32-33% for two years, pointing to a persistent literacy challenge. Algebra I is the school's strongest tested subject, suggesting a relative strength in math instruction. Finally, the school's rank has improved from 195th to 176th over three years, a modest upward trend that indicates progress, even while remaining in the bottom quartile of the state.
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