Summary:
Zip code 39667 in Tylertown, Mississippi, is home to five schools in the Walthall County School District, serving roughly 1,695 students from pre-K through 12th grade in a predominantly low-income area. The district includes Tylertown High School (grades 7–12), Salem (an alternative school, K–12), Tylertown Primary School (PK–3), Tylertown Elementary School (grades 4–6), and Dexter Elementary School (K–8).
The most surprising standout is Salem, which—despite being an alternative school—outperforms the state average in Biology, U.S. History, English II, and 8th grade Science. It also has the lowest poverty rate (64.6% free/reduced lunch) and a low student–teacher ratio of 10.7. Dexter Elementary, the smallest school with only 74 students, posts the highest poverty rate (91.9%) yet achieves strong 4th and 5th grade math scores and ranks in the 54th percentile statewide. Tylertown High has the best graduation rate in the district (81.3%) but sits at only the 27th percentile and struggles with English proficiency. Tylertown Primary stands out for its 3rd grade math scores (55.9% proficient) and the district’s lowest chronic absenteeism rate (13.0%).
Several patterns emerge. High poverty does not automatically mean low performance—Dexter proves that point. Chronic absenteeism varies widely within the district, from 13.0% at Tylertown Primary to 27.0% at Dexter, even though both show academic strengths. A possible transition drop appears between 3rd and 4th grade, with math proficiency falling from 55.9% at the primary school to just 19.5% at Tylertown Elementary. High school English remains a major weakness, with English II proficiency dropping from 46.8% to 30.8% in one year. However, several schools show strong year-to-year gains in math and science, suggesting that targeted efforts are beginning to pay off despite the district generally trailing state averages.
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