The top reported proficiency rate is 78% in Science. The lowest is 54% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Central Elementary School
Central Elementary School sits just west of downtown Lucedale on Highway 26, serving pre-kindergarten through sixth grade as part of the George County School District. Lucedale is a small city and the county seat of George County, positioned roughly equidistant from Mobile to the southeast and Hattiesburg to the northwest. The town has a traditional Main Street commercial spine, a courthouse, City Hall, a public library, and the Lucedale Depot Greenway with walking trails and fishing ponds. George Regional Hospital is a anchor employer, and county government offices provide additional jobs. The city has been growing modestly while retaining its small-town character. Publicly reported sources describe housing opportunities as part of that growth, though specific new developments were not identified in available research.
The school's enrollment is moderate for its grade band. Its student body is predominantly white, with small shares of students identifying as Black, Hispanic, multirace, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Asian. Every student at Central Elementary qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which means the school operates with a universal economically disadvantaged population. Data on special education enrollment and English learners was not available, so those population breakdowns cannot be characterized here.
On Mississippi's MAAP assessments for the most recent school year, Central Elementary's math results show a clear pattern. Third and fourth graders performed strongly, with the large majority of tested students scoring proficient or above in both grades. Fifth and sixth grade math proficiency dropped off considerably, with roughly half of students reaching proficiency in each of those grades. The shift from upper-elementary into sixth grade coincides with a more demanding transition, and the decline is large enough that a parent may want to look into how the school supports students through that progression.
English language arts results were more mixed across the board. Third graders landed around the middle, with a little over half proficient. Fourth graders were the strongest in ELA, with close to two-thirds proficient. Fifth grade held near the third-grade level. Sixth grade was the weakest, with well under half of students reaching proficiency. The sixth-grade ELA result stands out as the school's softest academic measure and is worth a direct conversation with school staff about what is driving it.
Science is tested only in fifth grade at this level, and Central Elementary's fifth graders performed well. A substantial majority scored proficient or above, a result that aligns more closely with the school's strong early-grade math performance than with its weaker upper-grade results.
No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say whether these proficiency patterns are improving, declining, or holding steady over time. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. No data was available on discipline, course access, staffing ratios, or attendance, and no civil-rights data was provided. We looked for the district's strategic priorities or recent parent-relevant changes in George County School District but found little in available research, so that context is left out rather than guessed.
Housing in the school's zip code is modestly priced relative to the national market, with a typical home value below the national benchmark and modestly above the Mississippi state benchmark. The price-to-income ratio sits below the level many coastal and metro areas carry, and mortgage rates in the current environment remain elevated. Rental data was not available for this location. For a family already in or considering the Lucedale area, housing costs are comparatively manageable, though the financing environment is not especially favorable.
Central Elementary presents a mixed academic picture. Its youngest tested grades are performing at a high level in math, and fifth-grade science is a clear strength. The drop in math proficiency in fifth and sixth grade and the weaker ELA results, especially in sixth grade, are areas a parent would want to understand before enrolling an older elementary child. The school serves a universally economically disadvantaged population, which is a relevant context for interpreting these results and for understanding the resources and supports the school likely needs to deploy. For families with children in the early grades, the academic signal is positive. For those with children approaching fifth and sixth grade, asking direct questions about the upper-grade transition and supports would be a reasonable next step.
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