Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 39648

In zip code 39648 (McComb, MS), there are two elementary schools in the McComb School District: Otken Elementary School (grades 1–4, 458 students) and Kennedy Elementary School (PK–K, 232 students). Both schools serve a highly economically disadvantaged population, with 100% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, and the district itself ranks in the 28th percentile of Mississippi districts.

Because Kennedy serves only Pre-K and Kindergarten, Otken is the only school in this zip code with state test data. Otken's results are mixed: 3rd grade proficiency in 2025–2026 was just 23.2% in English Language Arts and 17.2% in math—far below state averages. However, 4th grade scores were much closer to state averages, at 47.8% in ELA and 43.6% in math. Looking at the same group of students as they moved from 3rd to 4th grade, both ELA and math proficiency actually improved. This suggests the low 3rd grade scores reflect a particular cohort, not a school-wide decline. Kennedy, meanwhile, has a slightly better student-teacher ratio (13.8 vs. 15.6) and lower chronic absenteeism (28.0% vs. 32.4%), but no academic data is available to compare outcomes.

Chronic absenteeism is a major concern at both schools—32.4% at Otken and 28.0% at Kennedy—both above the state rate of 23.9%, though below the district rate of 38.6%. In a district ranked 96th out of 134, these two schools form a PK–4 pipeline in which poverty and absenteeism are the defining challenges. Otken is the academic anchor, with its 4th graders performing reasonably close to state averages but 3rd graders far behind. Kennedy provides early education with smaller class sizes but no measurable test data. Overall, the data points to systemic, district-wide challenges rather than isolated school issues.