Best Public Schools in Zip Code 39455

Schools in zip code 39455 (Lumberton, MS) include three schools — Lumberton Elementary School, Lumberton High School, and Baxterville School — serving a combined 772 students in grades PK–12 within the Lamar County School District. All three schools serve high-poverty populations, with free/reduced-price lunch eligibility ranging from 77.9% to 90.2%. While the district is rated 4 stars and ranks 30th of 134 districts in Mississippi, individual school performance varies widely, from the 66th percentile at Baxterville to the 18th percentile at Lumberton High.

Baxterville School is the standout performer, ranking at the 66th percentile (130th of 377) with the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the zip code at 14.0%. Despite 77.9% poverty, Baxterville posted 5th grade science proficiency of 78.9% and math proficiency above 80% in multiple grades in 2024–25. In contrast, Lumberton High School ranks at the 18th percentile (184th of 224) after a sharp decline from the 71st percentile in 2023–24. Its graduation rate is just 77.3%, chronic absenteeism is 32.2%, and end-of-course scores in Biology (39.6%) and English II (33.3%) have fallen sharply. Lumberton Elementary School sits in between at the 27th percentile, carrying the highest poverty rate (90.2%) and a concerning 9.3% proficiency rate in 5th grade math.

Chronic absenteeism tracks closely with performance: Baxterville's 14.0% rate is well below the state average of 23.9%, while Lumberton Elementary (24.9%) and Lumberton High (32.2%) exceed it. Notably, Lumberton High has the smallest class sizes (8.1 student/teacher ratio) yet the worst outcomes, suggesting attendance and instructional quality matter more than staffing alone. Baxterville proves that high poverty does not have to mean low achievement. The middle grades at Lumberton High are improving, but students appear to struggle once they transition to high school coursework. For parents, Baxterville is the strongest school in the area, while both Lumberton schools need targeted attention around attendance, math proficiency, and graduation outcomes.