Summary:
Zip code 39463 contains exactly one school—Nicholson Elementary—a Kindergarten through 6th grade school in Picayune, Mississippi, serving 324 students as part of the Picayune School District. Nicholson is a high-poverty school, with 84.57% of students receiving free or reduced lunch and a student-teacher ratio of 14.6:1. Because there is no middle or high school in the zip code, students must leave the area after 6th grade to continue their education.
Academically, Nicholson Elementary has shown meaningful improvement. In 2025-2026, the school's state rank improved from 265th to 194th out of roughly 380 elementary schools, moving from the 31st to the 49th percentile. Average ELA proficiency rose from 38.3% to 48.6%, and average math proficiency rose from 39.7% to 50.0%, a gain of about 10 points in each subject. The school now essentially matches the state math average, though it remains slightly below state averages in ELA and science. Fifth grade science proficiency improved to 60.4%, but the district and state improved even faster, widening the gap.
Nicholson Elementary's biggest strength is 3rd grade math, where 67.5% of students scored proficient—22.5 points above the district and 18.7 points above the state. The biggest concern is 6th grade performance, where only 38.8% are proficient in ELA and 32.6% in math, leaving a 20-point math gap compared to the state. Chronic absenteeism is also a serious issue: 43.4% of students are chronically absent, far above the district's 30.2% and the state's 23.9%. Despite these challenges, the school's recent upward trajectory in reading and math is encouraging and worth watching for families considering this area.
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