Quitman County School District

The Quitman County School District in Mississippi operates three schools serving grades K-12: Quitman County Elementary School, Quitman County Middle School, and M.S. Palmer High School. This district faces significant challenges, with a student population that is over 94% African American and 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating high levels of poverty and economic disadvantage in the community.

While the elementary and middle schools struggle with test scores that fall below state averages, M.S. Palmer High School shows some bright spots, with Algebra I and U.S. History proficiency rates exceeding the state. However, all three schools are rated 1 or 2 stars out of 5 by School Digger, indicating below-average performance compared to other schools in Mississippi. The district spends more per student than the state average, but the low performance suggests the resources may not be effectively utilized to support student learning and achievement.

Overall, the Quitman County School District faces significant racial and economic disparities, with opportunities for improvement in academic outcomes across the board. Identifying and addressing the root causes of the underperformance, whether related to resources, teaching quality, or other factors, could be a valuable next step in supporting the success of students in this community.