The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in Science. The lowest is 29% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Newton Municipal School District
Newton Municipal School District is a small, single-community district in Newton County, Mississippi, serving students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade across four schools: Newton Elementary, N H Pilate Middle, Newton High, and the Newton Municipal Career Center. The district's enrollment is modest for its grade span, and its student body is predominantly Black, with small shares of students identifying as two or more races, white, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native. The district did not report free-or-reduced-price lunch counts, special-education rates, or English-learner figures in the data we received, so we cannot characterize those populations here.
On Mississippi's MAAP assessments in the most recent year, the district's results paint a mixed picture that varies by subject and grade. In math, proficiency tends to be stronger in the upper elementary and middle grades than in the early elementary years. Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade all show roughly two-fifths or more of tested students reaching proficient or above, which is a relative bright spot. Third and fourth grade math, by contrast, show roughly a quarter or fewer of students proficient, and fifth grade sits in between. ELA performance is generally softer than math across the board. The strongest ELA grade is fourth, where approaching two-fifths of students are proficient, but the middle-grade ELA results dip into the low twenties. A parent whose child struggles with reading in the later elementary and middle years may want to look into what literacy supports the district offers.
Science results are limited to two tested grades. Fifth-grade science proficiency sits around a third of tested students. Eighth-grade science is the district's strongest single result, with roughly half of students reaching proficiency. That eighth-grade science figure, paired with the solid middle-grade math results, suggests the district's middle school is doing some things right even as the earlier grades face challenges.
We did not receive a graduation rate for the district, nor end-of-course assessment results for high school subjects such as Algebra I or Biology. The presence of a dedicated career center in the district's school list is a structural plus, indicating that career and technical education is part of the pathway for older students, though the data we received does not detail specific program offerings, course access, or staffing. A parent interested in what the career center provides would need to contact the district directly.
The housing market in the area is inexpensive relative to both state and national benchmarks. The district's weighted typical home value sits well below the Mississippi state benchmark and far below the national figure, and recent year-over-year movement has been downward. For a family looking to buy, this means relatively low barriers to homeownership in the district's communities, which include Newton, Lawrence, Decatur, and Lake. The price-to-income ratio is moderate, and estimated monthly mortgage costs are low by national standards. Rent data was not available. The economic backdrop includes a national unemployment rate that has held steady in the low-to-mid four percent range, and real median household income has been gradually rising at the national level, though local income figures for the district itself were not provided.
We searched for parent-relevant district news, including referendums, curriculum changes, property-tax shifts, or other developments with lasting impact, and found none reported. The district does not appear in recent coverage for major policy or facility changes. This absence is not itself a concern, but it means a family evaluating the district will need to rely on direct contact with school leadership for current initiatives and plans.
What the data supports is a picture of a small, close-knit district where middle-grade math and science are relative strengths, early-grade literacy and numeracy are softer, and the housing market keeps the cost of living low. The career center adds a practical dimension for high school students. Gaps in the data, particularly around graduation outcomes, program specifics, and student support populations, are real, and a parent weighing this district should ask the schools directly to fill them in.
See more original research from School Decision →