Summary:
Zip code 39479 in Seminary, Mississippi, is served by a single elementary school, Seminary Elementary, which enrolls 420 students in grades K–4 as part of the Covington County School District. Because there is only one school in this area, the entire local story centers on this standout campus, which has earned a 5-star rating and now ranks 14th out of 377 Mississippi elementary schools — putting it in the 96th percentile statewide.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that Seminary Elementary delivers exceptional academic results despite serving a student body where 99.29% qualify for free or reduced lunch. In the 2025–2026 school year, 3rd grade math proficiency reached 85.4%, which is 36.6 percentage points above the state average, and 4th grade math hit 81.7% — 30.2 points above the state and 35.2 points above the district. ELA scores are also strong, with 68.0% of 3rd graders and 70.7% of 4th graders proficient, comfortably beating both district and state averages. The school’s upward trajectory is clear: it improved from a 30th-place state ranking in 2023–2024 to 24th, and now 14th. Math is a particular strength, and while ELA proficiency dipped slightly compared to the prior year, both subjects remain well above the averages for the district and state.
Attendance is another positive factor. The school’s chronic absenteeism rate is 19.3%, which is 14.3 percentage points lower than the district rate of 33.6% and 4.6 points lower than the state rate of 23.9%. With a student–teacher ratio of 16.7:1, Seminary Elementary maintains a moderate class size while achieving results that far exceed what its district’s overall mid-level rating might suggest. For families in zip code 39479, this single school provides a highly rated, academically strong option that stands out as a notable success story in a high-poverty setting.
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