Schools in Zip Code 39150

ZIP code 39150 in Port Gibson, Mississippi, is served by three public schools in the Claiborne County Public Schools district, which ranks 129 out of 134 Mississippi districts (4th percentile, 0-star rating) and serves students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in an area where every school reports 100% free/reduced lunch eligibility. A. W. Watson Elementary is the largest campus with 531 students (PK–5), followed by Port Gibson High School with 381 students (9–12), and Port Gibson Middle School with 223 students (6–8).

Despite the district's overall challenges, each school has notable strengths. Port Gibson High School is the highest-ranked school in the ZIP code (198 of 224 Mississippi high schools) and posts a strong 92.5% graduation rate, exceeding the state average of 89.2%. A. W. Watson Elementary has the best attendance profile, with only 15.3% chronic absenteeism — well below the district rate of 30.5% and the state rate of 23.9%. Port Gibson Middle School produced a science bright spot in 2024-2025, when 8th grade science proficiency reached 55.9%, surpassing the state average of 54.7%.

However, significant challenges remain. Chronic absenteeism rises sharply with age — from 15.3% in elementary school to 30.7% in middle school and a striking 51.9% at the high school. Math and English Language Arts proficiency run consistently 15–35 percentage points below state averages, with middle school math falling from 31.5% to 20.1% proficiency in one year and high school Algebra I dropping from 66.6% to 53.6%. Notably, both the middle and high schools enjoy favorable student–teacher ratios (10:1 and 11.5:1), yet test scores remain low — indicating challenges tied more to poverty and attendance than class size. Science is a relative strength across all schools. The most urgent intervention areas are middle school math, high school English, and secondary-level chronic absenteeism.