The top reported proficiency rate is 32% in English language arts. The lowest is 22% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mc Leod Elementary School
McLeod Elementary School sits in north Jackson, part of the Jackson Public School District, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is a neighborhood public school in a city that doubles as Mississippi's capital and its largest metropolitan center.
Jackson's character shapes the environment around McLeod in ways a parent should understand. The city spreads across a large land area along the Pearl River, with a sprawling, auto-dependent layout typical of Sun Belt capitals. State government buildings, museums, and cultural institutions cluster downtown, while major employers such as the University of Mississippi Medical Center and a Nissan manufacturing plant operate in separated zones. The city has faced serious headwinds in recent years, including a well-documented population decline during the 2010s that ranked among the steepest of any major American city, and a severe water infrastructure crisis. Development pressure has shifted toward suburban Madison and Rankin counties, even as the broader metro area remains the state's largest economic engine. Jackson Public Schools, the district that operates McLeod, is itself one of the city's top employers.
At the district level, Jackson Public School District recently adopted a Strategic Plan covering 2024 through 2029, setting system-wide goals around curriculum, instruction, and resource allocation. That plan will guide priorities during the years a child now at McLeod moves through the upper elementary grades.
McLeod's enrollment is moderate for an elementary school serving its grade band. Every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which reflects the economic reality of the surrounding community. The student body is nearly entirely Black, with small numbers of Hispanic, white, and multiracial students. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available, so those populations cannot be described here.
On the most recent Mississippi Academic Assessment Program results, McLeod's proficiency rates sit below state expectations across every tested grade and subject. In math, roughly one in five tested third graders reached proficiency or above, with fourth and fifth grade results in a similar range. English language arts outcomes were somewhat stronger, with fourth grade showing the best result, approaching two in five students proficient. Third and fifth grade ELA results were lower, near the math figures. Fifth grade science proficiency was also low. Participation rates were not reported, so it is not possible to assess whether testing engagement was a factor. A parent weighing this school may want to ask directly how the school supports students who are working below grade level and what intervention resources are available.
No multi-year trend data was available, so there is no way to say from the provided information whether these results represent improvement, decline, or stability over time. The comparison fact-set positioning McLeod against neighboring schools in its county was not available, which limits the ability to say how it stacks up against nearby campuses.
Because McLeod serves only through fifth grade, it has no graduation rate, no AP or career-pathway offerings, and no dual-credit courses. Those metrics simply do not apply to an elementary school. The school's grade band also means the science assessment covers only fifth grade.
Housing in the zip code around McLeod is relatively affordable compared with national figures, with typical home values well below the national benchmark and rents that sit closer to the state level than the national one. Mortgage costs remain modest relative to income, and renting consumes a manageable share of typical earnings. Home values have risen only slightly year over year, while rents have increased at a faster clip. For families considering the area, housing costs are unlikely to be a barrier, though the broader context of Jackson's population loss and infrastructure challenges is part of the lived picture.
Information on school discipline, staffing levels, attendance patterns, and specific program offerings was not available. Without those details, a full portrait of the school environment is incomplete. A family interested in McLeod would benefit from visiting the campus, asking about classroom support and enrichment, and understanding how the district's new strategic plan translates into day-to-day practice at this particular school.
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