The top reported proficiency rate is 84% in English language arts. The lowest is 71% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mcwillie Elementary School
McWillie Elementary sits in north Jackson on McWillie Circle, part of the Jackson Public School District. It serves pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, though its sixth-grade enrollment is effectively empty, so in practice the school runs from pre-K through fifth. The student body is small for a school covering that many grades, and its composition is unusual: the pre-K grade alone holds the largest single share of enrollment, with each successive grade getting smaller. That shape suggests many families use McWillie for early childhood and then move children elsewhere for later elementary, though the data does not confirm why. The school serves a predominantly Black student population, with smaller White and multiracial groups. Every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which reflects the economic conditions in the surrounding neighborhoods.
Academically, McWillie posts strong results on Mississippi's MAAP assessments. In English language arts, the proficiency rate is high across all three tested grades, with the fourth grade reaching a level that stands out as genuinely strong. Third and fifth grade ELA results are also well above what many schools serving similar economic profiles achieve. Math results are more mixed. Third and fourth grade math proficiency is solid, but fifth grade math drops noticeably below the school's own ELA and science marks. Science proficiency in fifth grade matches the ELA level, which is a good showing for a school at this grade band. Participation rate data was not available, and no multi-year trend information was provided, so it is hard to say whether these results represent steady performance or a recent shift. The tested groups are also small, which means a few students can move the numbers meaningfully.
The school sits in a part of Jackson where housing is inexpensive relative to state and national norms. Home values in the surrounding zip code run well below the statewide benchmark and far below national figures, and rents are moderate. The price-to-income ratio sits just above the national level, and the rent burden looks manageable. For families looking to buy, the area is among the more affordable corners of the metro. Jackson itself, as publicly reported, is Mississippi's capital and largest city, anchored by state government, the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson State University, and a Nissan manufacturing plant. The city has faced well-documented challenges, including a steep population decline over the past decade and a severe water crisis. Development pressure has shifted toward suburban areas in Madison and Rankin counties, even as the metro area remains the state's economic center. Cultural institutions near downtown include the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, the Museum of Mississippi History, and the Mississippi Children's Museum. The built environment is sprawling and auto-dependent, typical of Sun Belt capitals.
At the district level, Jackson Public Schools recently adopted a Strategic Plan covering the next several years, which will shape curriculum, instruction, and resource allocation. Specifics on how that plan affects McWillie were not available. The district is one of the city's largest employers, which gives it an outsized role in the community but also means it operates under the same fiscal and infrastructure pressures affecting Jackson broadly.
Some information a parent might want was missing from the available data. The school's magnet status, Title I status, and school type were not reported. Discipline data, course access details, staffing ratios, and attendance figures were absent. Special population counts for students with individualized education programs and English learners were also missing. No neighbor comparison or program offerings were provided. A parent evaluating McWillie would want to ask the school directly about class sizes in the upper elementary grades, what happens to students after fifth grade, and how the district's new strategic plan will touch this campus.
See more original research from School Decision →