The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in Math. The lowest is 31% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Crystal Springs Elementary
Crystal Springs Elementary sits on Newton Street in the heart of a small Mississippi town about a half-hour's drive south of Jackson along Interstate 55. The school serves pre-kindergarten through fourth grade and is part of the Copiah County School District. Its enrollment is modest for an elementary serving that grade band, and the student body is predominantly Black or African American, with a smaller Hispanic presence and a small share of White students. Every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which means the school operates effectively as a community school serving families across the economic spectrum of Crystal Springs, where household incomes run below the national median.
The town itself is a bedroom community for Jackson commuters. Publicly reported descriptions from the mayor's office frame it as close enough to a large city to enjoy its benefits but far enough away to relax. The downtown has historic streets with gift and antique stores, churches, and small businesses. Crystal Springs was once known as the Tomato Capital of the World, and that agricultural heritage remains central to local identity, celebrated each June at the Tomato Festival. Chautauqua Park, a large green space with a lake, natural springs, trails, and gazebos, serves as the primary civic anchor. The Robert Johnson Blues Foundation and museum sits in the heart of town. The built environment shows its age, with older homes and historic structures, and the town is oriented around car travel given its location on the interstate and US Route 51. Housing values here are well below the state benchmark and far below national levels, which keeps homeownership relatively accessible but also reflects the limited local economic base. Major employers were not identified in available sources, consistent with its character as a commuter town.
Academically, the most recent state assessment results show a clear pattern. In math, fourth graders performed notably better than third graders, with a majority reaching proficiency. Third-grade math results were lower, with fewer than half demonstrating proficiency. In English language arts, both grades showed similar results, with roughly a third of students reaching proficiency in each grade. The gap between the stronger fourth-grade math performance and the weaker ELA results across both grades is something a parent may want to look into further with the school, particularly how literacy instruction is sequenced across the early grades. No participation rate data was available, and no multi-year trend data was provided, so it is not possible to say from the available information whether these results represent improvement or decline over time. IEP and English learner data were also missing, so the picture of special populations is incomplete.
Because the school serves only through fourth grade, there is no graduation rate, no AP or career pathway data, and no high school course access information. Those gaps reflect the grade band, not a reporting failure. Similarly, discipline, attendance, and staffing data were not available in the provided materials.
The district context matters here. Publicly reported reporting notes that in September 2025, the Department of Justice lifted Copiah County School District's federal desegregation order after a long period of oversight. Community members and parents have described persistent disparities between the Wesson Attendance Center, which is majority-White with newer facilities and an A rating, and Crystal Springs schools, which are majority-Black with older buildings and fewer program offerings, rated B. District enrollment has been declining over recent years, which affects per-pupil funding, program breadth, and campus viability. A family considering Crystal Springs Elementary is looking at a school serving a high-need population in a town with deep local roots and affordable housing, situated within a district grappling with equity questions that are now being worked through without federal enforcement mechanisms. The academic results suggest real strengths in fourth-grade math alongside weaker literacy outcomes, and the school's full picture would benefit from information the available data does not provide.
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