Summary:
ZIP code 39117 in Morton, Mississippi, is served by a single public high school — Morton High School — which enrolls 476 students in grades 9 through 12 under the Scott County School District.
Morton High School faces significant challenges tied to extreme economic disadvantage, with 99.37% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. The school's chronic absenteeism rate of 49.7% is nearly double the state average of 23.9% and well above the district rate of 33.6%, meaning almost half of students are missing substantial amounts of instructional time. Academically, the school trails both district and state benchmarks in most subjects. In the most recent testing year, only 32.8% of students scored proficient in English II compared to 49.3% statewide, while Algebra I proficiency was 53.1% versus 66.0% statewide, and Biology proficiency was 47.0% versus 63.1% statewide. The graduation rate of 76.4% also lags behind the district rate of 82.4% and the state rate of 89.2%, meaning roughly one in four students does not graduate on time.
Despite these struggles, there are some encouraging signs. Algebra I has remained relatively stable, with proficiency above 50% in both recent testing years, suggesting math may be a relative strength. The school also showed notable improvement in the 2024–2025 school year, climbing to the 45th percentile in state rankings from the 16th percentile the previous year, though it fell back to the 21st percentile in the most recent data. English II performance has been particularly volatile, swinging from near the state average in 2024–2025 to far below it the following year. For parents considering this school, the picture is clear: Morton High School is a high-poverty school where absenteeism and graduation rates demand urgent attention, and sustained interventions in attendance and literacy are needed to help students stay on track.
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