Summary:
Zip code 39355 in Quitman, Mississippi, is served by two public elementary schools within the Quitman School District, covering grades PK through 5 with a combined enrollment of about 734 students. Both schools serve a high-need population, with roughly 75–80% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch. Chronic absenteeism is a significant concern, affecting about 32.9% of students at Quitman Lower Elementary and 30.9% at Quitman Upper Elementary School, both well above the state average of 23.9%.
Quitman Upper Elementary School is the only school in the area with standardized test data, providing the clearest picture of academic performance. The school shows relative strength in mathematics, outperforming state averages in 4th and 5th grade math, though its advantage narrowed in the most recent year. However, 3rd grade math proficiency fell to just 31.6% in 2025–2026, a significant gap compared to the state's 48.8%. English language arts is a broader area of need, with the school trailing the state average in 3rd and 5th grade ELA, though 4th grade met the state average.
Quitman Lower Elementary, serving grades PK-2, has no test scores or rankings, creating a blind spot for early-grade achievement. Its very high student-teacher ratio of 38.6 and the district's overall high absenteeism rate (36.5%) are early-warning signals. For parents, the two schools form a continuous feeder system, and the upper grades show some positive momentum, as Quitman Upper Elementary School's state ranking has improved from the 41st to the 46th percentile over three years, though it remains rated two stars. The Quitman School District itself ranks in the lower third of Mississippi districts.
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