Wayne County School District

The Wayne County School District in Mississippi operates 6 schools, including 5 elementary schools and 1 high school. The district serves a diverse student population, with schools ranging from majority white to majority African American. While some schools, like Clara Elementary and Buckatunna Elementary, consistently perform well on standardized tests and are highly ranked, other schools, such as Wayne Central Elementary and Waynesboro Riverview Elementary, struggle to meet state and district averages.

The data reveals stark differences in academic performance across the district, with the top-performing schools boasting high test scores and strong ratings, while the lower-performing schools lag behind. This achievement gap appears to be correlated with the racial composition of the schools, as the higher-performing schools have a larger percentage of white students. Additionally, all schools in the district face significant economic challenges, with 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating high levels of poverty.

Despite the disparities in academic achievement, the district appears to have a staffing advantage, with relatively low student-teacher ratios across all schools. However, the overall spending per student is on the lower end, which may be a contributing factor to the performance challenges faced by some of the schools. Addressing these inequities and improving educational outcomes for all students in the Wayne County School District will require a deeper understanding of the underlying factors driving the achievement gap.