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Lowndes County School District

1053 Hwy 45 South
Columbus, MS 39701
(District boundaries shown in map)
9/
10
Top 20%

Top Rankings

Lowndes County School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Mississippi for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 5%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025-26 school year, there are 5 public elementary schools serving 3,685 students in Lowndes County School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 10% of public elementary schools in Mississippi.
Public Elementary Schools in Lowndes County School District have an average math proficiency score of 66% (versus the Mississippi public elementary school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 51% (versus the 43% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 41% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the Mississippi public elementary school average of 57% (majority Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (MS)
# Schools
9 Schools
693 Schools
# Students
5,360 Students
292,146 Students
# Teachers
408 Teachers
22,715 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
13:1
13:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Lowndes County School District, which is ranked within the top 20% of all 147 school districts in Mississippi (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 92% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
This School District
State Average (MS)
#18 out of 148 school districts
(Top 20%)
65%
52%
50%
42%
62%
55%
92%
89%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.54
0.61
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
n/a
1%
% Hispanic
2%
5%
% Black
38%
45%
% White
57%
43%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $13,316 is higher than the state median of $12,205. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $10,608 is less than the state median of $12,074. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (MS)
Total Revenue
$71 MM
$5,371 MM
Spending
$57 MM
$5,314 MM
Revenue / Student
$13,316
$12,205
Spending / Student
$10,608
$12,074

Best Lowndes County School District Public Elementary Schools (2025-26)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Caledonia Elementary School
(Math: 76% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
9509 Wolfe Road
Caledonia, MS 39740
(662) 356-2050
Gr: PK-5 | 1,082 student Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 24%
Rank: #22.
Caledonia Middle School
(Math: 75% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
105 Confederate Drive
Caledonia, MS 39740
(662) 356-2042
Gr: 6-8 | 539 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 25%
Rank: #33.
New Hope Elementary School
(Math: 54% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
199 Enlow Road
Columbus, MS 39702
(662) 244-4760
Gr: PK-5 | 1,199 student Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 49%
Rank: #44.
New Hope Middle School
(Math: 62% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
3419 New Hope Road
Columbus, MS 39702
(662) 244-4740
Gr: 6-8 | 612 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 46%
Rank: #55.
West Lowndes Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1000 Gilmer Wilburn Road
Columbus, MS 39701
(662) 244-5050
Gr: PK-6 | 253 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 98%

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Quick Facts (2025-26)

  • District size: 9 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 5,360 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 13:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 44%
  • : 92% (Top 5% in MS)
  • : Top 20%
  • : 65% (Top 20%)
  • : 50% (Top 20%)
  • : 62% (Top 30%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), MS Dept. of Education

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