Summary:
Zip code 39440 in Laurel, Mississippi is home to 6 public schools serving approximately 2,620 students in grades PK-12, all within the Laurel School District, which ranks 92nd out of 134 districts statewide. The area includes three elementary schools (Nora Davis Elementary, Oak Park Elementary School, and Laurel Magnet School Of The Arts), two middle-level schools (Laurel Middle School and Laurel Upper Elementary), and one high school (Laurel High School). Every school serves a nearly universal high-poverty population, with free/reduced lunch eligibility at or near 100%.
The clear standout is Laurel Magnet School Of The Arts, ranked 28th out of 377 elementary schools (93rd percentile, 5 stars), with 100% proficiency in 6th grade math and an 8.0% chronic absenteeism rate—far below the district's 35.9%. At the opposite extreme, Nora Davis Elementary and Laurel Middle School both sit in the 3rd percentile statewide (0 stars), while Laurel High School ranks in the 22nd percentile with a 59.8% chronic absenteeism rate and an 83.2% graduation rate. Laurel Upper Elementary also struggles, with just 12.1% proficiency in 6th grade math versus the 52.7% state average.
The most striking insight is the 70-point gap in 5th grade math proficiency between Laurel Magnet (81.4%) and Laurel Upper Elementary (11.3%) within the same district, proving that poverty is not destiny. Chronic absenteeism tracks performance almost perfectly: the top school has the lowest rate, while the lowest-ranked schools have the highest. The middle grades at Laurel Middle School and Laurel Upper Elementary are a clear weak point, and the district's 2-star rating masks enormous school-level extremes ranging from the 93rd to the 3rd percentile. For parents, school choice within this district matters greatly, and reducing absenteeism at Laurel High School and Laurel Middle School should be an urgent priority.
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