Summary:
The city of Hazlehurst, Mississippi is home to three public schools that serve students from elementary through high school: Hazlehurst Elementary School, Hazlehurst High School, and Hazlehurst Middle School. These schools, which are part of the Hazlehurst City School District, face significant challenges, with consistently low academic performance across all grade levels compared to state averages.
The student populations at these schools are overwhelmingly African American, with very low percentages of white and other minority students. Additionally, all three schools have 100% of their students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a highly economically disadvantaged student population. Despite the high poverty levels, per-student spending at the Hazlehurst schools is generally in line with or slightly above the state average, suggesting that funding alone may not be the primary driver of the low academic performance.
Across the board, the Hazlehurst schools perform significantly below the state averages on standardized tests, with proficiency rates ranging from the low 20s to the high 60s, compared to state averages in the 40s to 70s. This consistent underperformance presents opportunities for targeted interventions, resource allocation, and strategic planning to address the educational needs of the district's students and provide them with the quality education they deserve.
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