Schools in Zip Code 39421

Zip code 39421 in Mississippi is served by two public schools in the Jeff Davis County School District: Carver Elementary (grades PK–5, 252 students) and Jefferson Davis County High School (grades 9–12, 368 students), with no middle school in the area.

The two schools tell very different stories. Carver Elementary is the clear standout, earning a 3-star rating and ranking in the 57th percentile of Mississippi elementary schools. It has improved from the 46th percentile in 2022–2023 and beats the district in nearly every tested subject. Notably, 5th-grade science proficiency is 74.3%, above the state average, and early-grade ELA and math scores also exceed state levels. However, 5th-grade math dips to 37.1% proficiency, well below the state's 49.6%, suggesting challenges emerge in upper elementary. In contrast, Jefferson Davis County High School is a major concern: it holds a 1-star rating and ranks in the 13th percentile of Mississippi high schools, down from the 30th percentile a few years ago. Its end-of-course proficiency rates lag the state dramatically: Biology is 36.5% vs. 63.1% statewide, Algebra I is 41.8% vs. 66.0%, and English II is 39.0% vs. 49.3%. Despite this, the high school's graduation rate is 90.2%, slightly above the state average.

Both schools face near-universal economic disadvantage, with roughly 99% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. Yet outcomes differ sharply, underscoring that poverty alone does not dictate performance. A key factor appears to be chronic absenteeism: the high school's rate is 32.5%, more than double the elementary's 15.6% and above the state's 23.9%. The high school also has a better student–teacher ratio (11.8) than the elementary (14.4), yet academic results are far weaker, pointing to challenges beyond class size. With no middle school in the zip code, the transition from elementary to high school may also contribute to the high school's struggles. Overall, this area offers a promising elementary option but a high school in need of urgent attention.