The top reported proficiency rate is 68% in Science. The lowest is 28% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Franklin Academy
Franklin Academy sits on North Third Avenue in Columbus, Mississippi, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Columbus Municipal School District. Publicly reported sources identify it as Mississippi's first free public school, a distinction that gives the institution deep roots in the community. The school draws a predominantly Black student body, with smaller groups identifying as white, two or more races, and Asian. Every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which reflects the economic reality of the surrounding neighborhoods. The enrollment is moderate for an elementary school serving this grade band.
State assessment results from the most recent year paint a mixed academic picture. In math, proficiency climbs from the lower elementary grades into fourth grade, where roughly half of tested students reached proficiency, then dips in fifth grade. English language arts results follow a similar arc, with third grade showing a particularly low proficiency rate. By fifth grade, ELA results strengthen considerably. The standout result is fifth-grade science, where a strong majority of students demonstrated proficiency, the highest performing subject and grade combination in the data. A parent considering Franklin Academy may want to ask the school about the third-grade ELA results specifically, since that is the softest spot in the available numbers.
Because Franklin Academy serves only pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, there is no graduation rate, no AP or career-pathway data, and no high school course access to report. Those metrics do not apply to this grade band. IEP and English learner counts were not available in the data, so those student population details remain unnamed here rather than guessed. The school is not a charter school. No magnet status, Title I status, discipline data, or staffing figures were provided.
Columbus itself is the county seat of Lowndes County and part of the Golden Triangle region, which also includes West Point and Starkville. The city blends residential blocks with manufacturing, military, and institutional uses. Columbus Air Force Base, one of four basic Air Force flight training installations in the country, is a major employer and presence. Baptist Memorial Hospital, Mississippi University for Women, International Paper, Steel Dynamics, Paccar, and several aerospace and defense firms anchor the local economy. The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway runs through the city, and the historic downtown centered on Main Street preserves antebellum architecture across three National Register districts. The city is car-dependent outside that historic core, with US Highways 82 and 45 carrying most regional traffic. Publicly reported sources note the population has been relatively stable with a slight decline over recent decades, and no major new housing developments were identified.
Housing in the school's zip code is inexpensive relative to both state and national benchmarks. Typical home values sit well below the Mississippi statewide figure and far below the national figure, and recent year-over-year values have declined modestly. Rents are also low, and the rent-to-income ratio suggests renting remains accessible for working families. The estimated monthly mortgage on a typical home at current rates is higher than the typical rent, which means buying may carry a heavier monthly burden than leasing for households weighing both options. This is a market where housing costs are unlikely to be the barrier to accessing the school's attendance zone.
Franklin Academy fits families looking for a small, historically grounded elementary school in an affordable Mississippi town with a diversified employment base. The science results are a genuine bright spot, and fourth-grade math is a relative strength. The early-grade literacy numbers are the area most worth pressing the school on directly. Columbus offers a mix of historic character, military and manufacturing employment, and proximity to regional higher education, though growth has been flat and the housing market has softened rather than surged.
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