Best Public Schools in Zip Code 39422

Zip code 39422 in Bay Springs, Mississippi, is served by three public schools in the West Jasper School District — Bay Springs Elementary School (PK–5), Bay Springs Middle School (6–8), and Bay Springs High School (9–12) — enrolling 792 students combined. All three schools serve a very high-poverty population, with 94% to 97% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. The district ranks in the 65th percentile statewide (47th of 134 districts), yet the three Bay Springs schools all fall below that district-wide ranking in the latest year.

Bay Springs Elementary School is the clear standout. It ranks 154th of 383 schools (60th percentile) and is the only school in the zip code with 5th grade proficiency above the state average in math (56.6% vs. 49.6%), science (73.6% vs. 71.5%), and ELA (56.6% vs. 55.8%). It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism at 16.5%, well below the state's 23.9%. By contrast, Bay Springs Middle School is declining, with its statewide percentile rank falling from 47th to 37th to 28th over three years; 7th grade ELA proficiency is just 18.6% versus a 36.7% state average. Bay Springs High School has the most severe attendance problem at 42.1% chronic absenteeism, nearly double the state rate, and English II proficiency is just 27.2%, more than 22 points behind the state. Still, its graduation rate of 88.9% is close to the state's 89.2%.

The most alarming issue is a 39-point collapse in 4th grade math at the elementary school, dropping from 53.5% to 14.5% proficient in one year. The high school's English II decline is also concerning. But there are bright spots: 8th grade math (50.9%) matches the state average, high school Biology (60.0%) is near the state's 63.1%, and student-to-teacher ratios are favorable, from 11.4:1 at the high school to 14.8:1 at the elementary school. Given that nearly all students face economic disadvantage, the elementary school's strong performance proves that high poverty does not preclude academic success — but the middle school slide and high school absenteeism crisis demand urgent attention.