Copiah County School District

The Copiah County School District in Mississippi consists of 4 schools, including 1 elementary school, 1 middle school, 1 high school, and 1 alternative school, serving students from pre-K through 12th grade. The district faces significant challenges, with all schools having 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating high levels of poverty in the area.

The standout school in the district appears to be Wesson Attendance Center, the alternative school, which has significantly higher test scores compared to the district and state averages across a wide range of subjects and grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, 82% of Wesson 3rd graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to just 51.5% for the district and 57.7% for the state. In contrast, the other schools in the district, particularly Crystal Springs Middle School and Crystal Springs High School, had much lower test scores that lagged behind the district and state averages.

While the spending per student and student-teacher ratios do not seem to be the primary drivers of the performance differences, the high poverty levels across all schools likely present significant challenges for the district in terms of student learning and achievement. Further analysis on the specific factors contributing to Wesson Attendance Center's success could help identify strategies to raise academic performance across the Copiah County School District.