Summary:
ZIP code 39652 in Magnolia, Mississippi, is served by four public schools in the South Pike School District, forming a complete PK-12 pathway: Eva Gordon Lower Elementary School (PK-3), Eva Gordon Upper Elementary School (4-6), South Pike Junior High (7-8), and South Pike High School (9-12). Together they enroll 1,247 students, and every school operates under near-universal poverty, with free/reduced lunch eligibility ranging from 98.73% to 100%.
Eva Gordon Upper Elementary stands out as the area's bright spot, with the lowest chronic absenteeism at 12.7% and 6th grade math proficiency nearly matching the state (51.1% vs. 52.7%). Eva Gordon Lower Elementary also shows a strong early-grade foundation, with 3rd grade ELA at 45.6% versus the state's 48.5%. In contrast, South Pike Junior High has declined sharply, falling from a 3-star, 50th-percentile rating in 2023-2024 to a 1-star, 13th-percentile rating in 2025-2026, with 8th grade ELA at just 22.4%. South Pike High School is the lowest-performing school overall, ranking in the 6th percentile statewide, with a 78.4% graduation rate and biology proficiency at 27.8% versus the state's 63.1%.
The clearest pattern is that students start near state averages but lose ground as they advance: gaps grow from -2.9 points in 3rd grade ELA to -35.3 points in high school biology. Chronic absenteeism varies widely, from 12.7% at Eva Gordon Upper to 24.9% at the high school. However, there are real improvements worth noting, including big year-over-year gains in Algebra I, English II, and 4th grade ELA. Math is a particular concern at Eva Gordon Upper, where 5th grade proficiency is just 18.8% but 6th grade jumps to 51.1%. Overall, the district is clearly working, but secondary transitions remain the greatest challenge.
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