Schools in Zip Code 39154

Zip code 39154 in Raymond, Mississippi, is served by three schools covering grades PK through 12: Raymond High School (grades 9–12, 539 students) and Raymond Elementary/Carver Middle (grades PK–8, 453 students), both in the Hinds County School District, plus Williams School (grades 7–12, 17 students), run by the MDHS Division of Youth Services. There is no standalone middle school or traditional alternative school, though Raymond Elementary/Carver Middle spans both elementary and middle grades.

The clear standout is Raymond Elementary/Carver Middle, which jumped from the 45th percentile to the 56th percentile in state rankings and from 2 stars to 3 stars in a single year. Despite a 73.29% free/reduced lunch rate, it beats state averages in 5th and 8th grade math, science, and ELA. Its weakest spot is 7th grade ELA, where only 17% of students are proficient, far below the state’s 37.3%. By contrast, Raymond High School is declining: its state percentile fell from 41st to 39th to 25th over three years, its star rating dropped to 1, and its graduation rate is 80.3% versus the state’s 89.2%. The high school does show a bright spot in U.S. History at 72.3% proficiency, above the state average. Williams School is a specialized youth-services facility with only 17 students, a 1.3 student-teacher ratio, and reported proficiency near 0% in most subjects; it also has a 176.47% free/reduced lunch figure that reflects its unique reporting and should not be compared with traditional schools.

The most pressing concern is the transition between schools. Chronic absenteeism is just 17.2% at Raymond Elementary/Carver Middle but 40.3% at Raymond High School — more than double the same community’s elementary rate and well above the state’s 23.9%. That likely contributes to weaker English II and Biology scores and the high school’s falling rank. Strong 8th grade math and science proficiency at the elementary/middle school does not appear to carry into high school Biology, which fell to 45% proficiency in the most recent year. Improving high school attendance and addressing the 7th grade ELA dip would be the highest-leverage steps for this community.