Summary:
Zip code 39161 contains one high school, Pisgah High School, located in Sandhill, Mississippi, within the Rankin County School District. Pisgah serves grades 7–12 with 482 students, offering a favorable 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio. About 41.9% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a moderate level of economic need in the school's attendance area.
Pisgah stands out as a high-performing school, particularly in mathematics. In 2025–2026, 84.9% of 7th graders and 85.0% of Algebra I students scored proficient, far exceeding state averages of 57.7% and 66.0%, respectively. The school also posts strong scores in 8th grade science (72.6%) and U.S. History (82.4%), both well above state marks. Attendance is a major asset: the chronic absenteeism rate of 13.4% is nearly half the state rate of 23.9%, and the graduation rate of 94.4% closely tracks the district's 94.6% while exceeding the state's 89.2%. This combination of strong attendance and academic outcomes is especially notable given that nearly 42% of students face economic disadvantage.
The primary concern is English Language Arts. ELA proficiency fell sharply from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, with 7th grade dropping from 50.6% to 39.6% and 8th grade from 60.0% to 46.4%. While most ELA scores remain near or above state averages, the decline is significant and warrants attention. The school's statewide ranking has also been volatile, moving from 71st (2023–2024) to 22nd (2024–2025) to 42nd (2025–2026). With roughly 80 students per grade, cohort variation can heavily influence rankings. Overall, Pisgah is a strong school in math and science with a solid graduation rate and attendance culture, and it is well-positioned to address its ELA challenges.
Thank you for your feedback!