📊 What this ranking measures
Rankings are based on academic achievement — the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (NCES EDFacts, 2021–22 for most districts), ranked against other districts in the same state — not on spending, district size, or staffing. See full methodology →
Top 25 Districts Mississippi
Sorted by rating — highest first
| # | District | City | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ocean Springs School District | Ocean Springs | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #2 | Union County School District | Etta | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #3 | Clinton Public School District | Clinton | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #4 | Long Beach School District | Long Beach | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #5 | Petal School District | Petal | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #6 | Madison County School District | Madison | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #7 | Enterprise School District | Enterprise | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #8 | Neshoba County School District | Philadelphia | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #9 | Rankin County School District | Brandon | 10/10 Excellent | 93th |
| #10 | Union Public School District | Union | 10/10 Excellent | 93th |
| #11 | Biloxi Public School District | Biloxi | 10/10 Excellent | 92th |
| #12 | Harrison County School District | Gulfport | 10/10 Excellent | 91th |
| #13 | Choctaw County School District | Ackerman | 10/10 Excellent | 90th |
| #14 | Pass Christian Public School District | Pass Christian | 10/10 Excellent | 90th |
| #15 | Jackson County School District | Moss Point | 9/10 Excellent | 89th |
| #16 | New Albany Public Schools | New Albany | 9/10 Excellent | 88th |
| #17 | Booneville School District | Booneville | 9/10 Excellent | 87th |
| #18 | Lamar County School District | Hattiesburg | 9/10 Excellent | 87th |
| #19 | Monroe County School District | Amory | 9/10 Excellent | 86th |
| #20 | Oxford School District | Oxford | 9/10 Excellent | 85th |
| #21 | Lowndes County School District | Columbus | 9/10 Excellent | 84th |
| #22 | DeSoto County School District | Hernando | 9/10 Excellent | 83th |
| #23 | Stone County School District | Mc Henry | 9/10 Excellent | 83th |
| #24 | Hancock County School District | Bay Saint Louis | 9/10 Excellent | 82th |
| #25 | Grenada School District | Grenada | 9/10 Excellent | 81th |
Best School Districts in Mississippi (2026)
This ranking covers 130 rated public school districts in Mississippi, scored using NCES EDFacts state assessment data (2021–22 for 90% of districts, 2017–18 fallback for the rest). Each district's reading and math proficiency rates are averaged, then ranked against other districts in the same state to produce a 1–10 score.
A district's score reflects how its students perform on state assessments relative to same-state peers — it is not a direct measure of teaching quality, school culture, or individual student outcomes. Always visit schools, talk to local families, and contact districts directly before making decisions. Learn how ratings are calculated →
Mississippi School Districts at a Glance
- 130 of the 138 regular school districts operating in Mississippi have a published rating on this site.
- 40 districts score 8/10 or higher, the top three rating bands.
- Ratings come from NCES EDFacts, and every district is ranked against other districts in Mississippi only — never against districts in another state, because the tests differ.
- The highest-rated district is Ocean Springs School District in Ocean Springs, rated 10/10.
- Almost every district in Mississippi is unified, meaning one district runs kindergarten through 12th grade for an address.
How to Use This List
Click any district name to see its zip code page and confirm your exact assignment with the district office. Boundaries don't always follow city or neighborhood lines — the zip code search gives you the most accurate result.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best school district in Mississippi? ▼
Based on state reading and math assessment proficiency (NCES EDFacts, 2021–22 or 2017–18 fallback), the top-rated district is Ocean Springs School District in Ocean Springs, rated 10/10 (Excellent).
How are these rankings calculated? ▼
Rankings use the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (NCES EDFacts, 2021–22 for most districts), ranked against other districts in the same state, then converted to a 1–10 scale. Full methodology here.
Are ratings based on test scores? ▼
Yes. Ratings are based directly on state reading and math assessment proficiency rates, not on enrollment, spending, or school count. They are a starting point for research, not a final verdict on school quality.
How many school districts are in Mississippi? ▼
Mississippi has 138 regular school districts operating in the 2024–25 school year, according to the NCES Common Core of Data. 130 of them have enough state assessment data to carry a rating on this site.
What test are Mississippi school district ratings based on? ▼
NCES EDFacts. The rating is the share of students scoring proficient or above in reading and math, converted to a percentile against other districts in Mississippi and then to a 1–10 scale. Spending, staffing and district size are not part of it.
How many districts in Mississippi are rated 8 out of 10 or higher? ▼
40 of the 130 rated districts in Mississippi score 8/10 or above. Because the scale is a within-state percentile, a high rating means the district outperforms most other districts in Mississippi, not the country.
Does one district cover all grades in Mississippi? ▼
In Mississippi nearly every district is unified, so the same district runs elementary, middle and high school for an address. A few states split those into separate districts; Mississippi is not one of them.