Summary:
Zip code 39421 is home to just one elementary school, Carver Elementary, a PK–5 school in Bassfield, MS, serving 252 students in the rural Jeff Davis County School District. Since this is the only elementary school in the area, the story here is all about Carver’s performance compared to its district and state, and its own progress over time.
Carver Elementary is a high-poverty school — nearly 99% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch — yet it posts several standout results. Third-grade reading and math proficiency (57.7% and 55.5%, respectively) both beat the state averages, and 4th-grade math is a clear bright spot: 59.5% proficient, which is 17 points above the district and 8 points above the state. Fifth-grade science is also well above both district and state levels at 74.3% proficient. Chronic absenteeism is just 15.6%, far lower than the district rate of 24.2% and state rate of 23.9%. The school also enjoys a favorable student–teacher ratio of 14.4. Over the past few years, Carver has steadily improved its statewide ranking, moving from the 46th percentile in 2022–2023, to the 53rd percentile in 2023–2024, and up to the 57th percentile for 2025–2026.
The main challenge is that academic performance tends to drop in the upper grades. Between 3rd and 5th grade, ELA proficiency falls from 57.7% to 42.8%, while math falls from 55.5% to 37.1%, leaving both 5th-grade subjects well below state averages. Still, Carver remains competitive with or ahead of its district in nearly every tested area, and its lower-than-expected absenteeism suggests a positive school climate. For parents, the takeaway is that this is a school with strong early-grade foundations, notable strengths in 4th-grade math and 5th-grade science, and a clear upward trajectory — but one that needs to focus on keeping older students on pace in ELA and math.
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