Summary:
Zip code 39556 in Kiln, Mississippi is home to two public elementary schools — East Hancock Elementary School and Hancock North Central School — both serving grades PK–5 within the highly rated Hancock School District, which ranks 9th out of 134 districts in Mississippi. Both schools are 5-star institutions that far exceed state averages, making this small community an exceptional area for elementary education.
East Hancock Elementary School is the clear standout, ranking #3 out of 377 Mississippi elementary schools in 2025–2026, up from #11 and #18 in the prior two years. It outperforms the district and state in every subject and grade level, with particularly impressive math proficiency — 4th grade math hit 91.8% compared to the 51.5% state average — and 5th grade science at 93.7%. Hancock North Central School is not far behind, ranking #13 (97th percentile) after a remarkable 37-position jump from #50 the previous year. Its overall proficiency of 78.4% trails East Hancock's 85.0% by about 6.6 points, a modest gap given that Hancock North Central serves a much higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (69.8% vs 48.5% free/reduced lunch).
Both schools show strengths in math and science, with science proficiency near 93% at each, far above the state's 71.5% average. Chronic absenteeism is also notably low — around 18% at both schools versus 23.9% statewide and 28.5% district-wide — suggesting strong student engagement that supports academic success. Interestingly, East Hancock achieves higher scores despite a student–teacher ratio of 20.7 compared to Hancock North Central's 13.9, indicating that factors beyond class size drive its success. For parents, the choice between these two elite schools is a win-win: East Hancock offers the highest rankings and near-universal math and science proficiency, while Hancock North Central demonstrates that a school with high poverty can still deliver top-tier results and rapid improvement.
Thank you for your feedback!