Best High Schools in Zip Code 39328

Zip code 39328, a rural area in eastern Mississippi, is served by a single high school—Kemper County High School in De Kalb—which serves grades 9 through 12 and enrolls 304 students.

Kemper County High School, the only school in the Kemper County School District, stands out for its very high graduation rate of 96.8%—well above the Mississippi state average of 89.2%. However, the school struggles academically, earning a 1-star rating and ranking in the 12th percentile statewide. Every student qualifies for free or reduced lunch, reflecting a 100% poverty rate, yet the student-teacher ratio is a low 7.1:1, suggesting small class sizes. The school consistently scores below state averages on MAAP end-of-course exams, though the gap varies by subject. For 2025–2026, Algebra I proficiency was 58.3% (just 7.7 points below the state), English II only 24.5%, and Biology 30.0%—a dramatic 20-point drop from the prior year’s 50%. Chronic absenteeism is a serious concern: 35.4% of students are chronically absent, far exceeding the state average of 23.9%. This likely contributes to low achievement, especially in Biology and English II.

For parents, Kemper County High School is a school that successfully gets nearly all students to graduation, but academic proficiency remains a major challenge. The school is strongest in Algebra I, where it approaches the state average, and weakest in Biology and English II. The low student-teacher ratio offers potential for personalized attention, but high absenteeism and poverty pose significant barriers. Ranked in the bottom tier of Mississippi high schools for three consecutive years, the school’s standout achievements are its graduation rate and small class sizes, while its priorities should be improving attendance and reversing the sharp decline in Biology proficiency. With no other high schools in the area, all comparisons must be made against state averages.