Best Public Schools in Zip Code 39555

Zip code 39555 is home to two public schools—East Central High School (grades 9–12) and East Central Middle School (grades 6–8)—both part of the highly ranked Jackson County School District, which is rated #2 out of 134 districts in Mississippi. These two schools are clear standouts: East Central Middle is ranked 12th out of 260 Mississippi middle schools (95th percentile, 5 stars), while East Central High is ranked 20th out of 224 high schools (91st percentile, 5 stars). Both schools have held top-tier rankings for three consecutive years, with the middle school steadily improving from 21st to 17th to 12th, while the high school has remained in the top 10–12% despite a slight year-to-year fluctuation (19 → 27 → 20).

When comparing the two, East Central Middle School stands out for its extraordinary math and science proficiency. Math proficiency runs from 73% in 6th grade to 79.6% in 8th grade—beating the state by 17 to 28 percentage points—and 8th-grade science proficiency is 80.3%, well above state averages. East Central High School also shines in STEM subjects, with Algebra I proficiency at 86.8% and Biology at 81.1%, plus a graduation rate of 91.1% (above the state’s 89.2%). The one shared weak spot is English/language arts: high school English II proficiency sits at 59.8% (below the district’s 63.1%), and middle school 7th-grade ELA is just 49.8%—a notable drop from the prior year’s 59.2%. Even so, both schools outpace state ELA averages at every grade level except that 7th-grade cohort.

For parents, the takeaway is that this is a high-performing area serving a largely middle-income population—48.5% of high school and 53.1% of middle school students qualify for free/reduced lunch. Chronic absenteeism is a moderate concern: 24.0% at the high school (matching the state average) and 22.7% at the middle school, both above the district’s 21.5% but not yet dragging down academics. Since there are no elementary schools in this zip code, middle school is the first local entry point into a feeder system that clearly prioritizes STEM excellence. Overall, these two 5-star schools offer a model of strong academics, especially in math and science, with room to strengthen literacy and attendance. Parents should feel confident in the schools’ rankings while keeping an eye on 7th-grade ELA progress and chronic absenteeism trends.