Schools in Zip Code 39301

Zip code 39301 serves the Meridian, Mississippi area with five schools—two elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools—spanning two very different districts: the Lauderdale County School District, which is ranked 18th out of 134 districts in Mississippi (87th percentile), and Meridian Public Schools, which ranks 120th out of 134 (10th percentile). This district divide is the single most important factor for parents to understand, as schools just a few miles apart deliver vastly different outcomes.

Clarkdale High School is the clear standout, ranking 14th out of 224 high schools statewide with five stars and a 94.9% graduation rate. It leads the zip code in Algebra I (85.7% proficient) and Biology (86.0%). Southeast Lauderdale High School made the biggest leap, jumping from 121st to 38th in the state, with Algebra I proficiency surging from 59.5% to 81.5%. Southeast Middle School ranks 27th out of 260 middle schools (90th percentile) despite 71.2% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, proving poverty does not determine performance. At the other end, Crestwood Elementary ranks 361st out of 377 elementary schools with zero stars, and math proficiency as low as 12.9% in 3rd grade—a stark contrast to Southeast Elementary School, where 4th grade math proficiency is 57.1% versus Crestwood's 15.1%.

Two systemic concerns stand out. Every school in the zip code exceeds the state's 23.9% chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 27.4% at Southeast Middle to 40.6% at Southeast Lauderdale High—even high-performing Clarkdale sits at 29.7%. Early-grade math is also a weakness, with 3rd grade proficiency at Southeast Elementary (33.6%) and Crestwood (12.9%) both below the state average of 48.8%. On a positive note, both high schools exceed the state's 89.2% graduation rate. Test scores show significant year-to-year volatility, so parents should look at multi-year trends rather than a single year's ranking when evaluating these schools.