Summary:
The city of Magnolia, Mississippi is home to 4 schools serving students from elementary through high school, including 1 elementary school, 2 middle schools, and 1 high school. These schools are part of the South Pike School District, which faces significant challenges in providing high-quality education to its predominantly African American student population, all of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
Among the standout schools in the district is Eva Gordon Upper Elementary School, which has the highest proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics compared to other elementary and middle schools in the area. In 2023-2024, 52.2% of 4th graders were proficient or better in ELA, and 43.6% of 6th graders were proficient or better in Mathematics, exceeding both district and state averages. Another bright spot is South Pike Junior High, which has shown steady improvement in its statewide ranking, moving from 208th out of 257 Mississippi middle schools in 2021-2022 to 133rd out of 264 in 2023-2024.
However, the data also reveals significant achievement gaps between the schools in the district and the state averages, particularly in English Language Arts and Mathematics. For example, the 3rd grade ELA proficiency rate at Eva Gordon Lower Elementary School (24.3%) was less than half the state average (57.7%) in 2023-2024. The high rates of economic disadvantage, as indicated by the 100% free and reduced lunch eligibility, likely present significant challenges for the district in terms of resource allocation, student support, and addressing the learning needs of the student population.
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