The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in Science. The lowest is 28% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Shannon Elementary School
Shannon Elementary serves the middle elementary grades in Shannon, a small rural town in Lee County, Mississippi. The school sits on Romie Hill Avenue and operates as part of the Lee County School District, which administers schools across the broader county rather than through a Shannon-specific system. The campus draws from a community that the town's own website, as publicly reported, describes as offering relaxed country living rooted in traditions of family and faith. Shannon's history runs through cotton farming and railroad commerce, and it retains a quiet rural character today.
The school's enrollment is modest for its grade band, covering third through fifth grade along with a small pre-kindergarten group. A majority of students identify as Black, with a smaller portion identifying as White, and a handful of students represent Hispanic and multiracial backgrounds. Just over half the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available, so those population shares remain unknown. The school is not a charter school. Information on magnet status, Title I designation, and school type was not reported in the data we received.
On state assessments, Shannon Elementary's results paint a mixed picture across subjects and grade levels. The school uses Mississippi's MAAP assessment, with proficiency defined as reaching the state's upper performance levels. In English language arts, proficiency rises steadily from third grade through fifth grade, with the share of students meeting the bar climbing meaningfully by the time they reach fifth grade. That upward trajectory within the building is a genuine bright spot, suggesting students make real progress in literacy during their years here. Math proficiency is more modest and less consistent across the three grade levels, sitting below the ELA rates at each grade. A parent may want to look into how the school supports math instruction and whether interventions are in place for students who arrive below grade level.
The standout result is fifth-grade science, where a strong majority of tested students reached proficiency. That figure stands well above the school's math and ELA rates and suggests that hands-on, content-rich science instruction is reaching students effectively. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is unclear whether these results represent steady performance, recent improvement, or year-to-year fluctuation. Participation rates for the assessments were also not reported.
Shannon itself is a low-density town with limited walkability. The built environment centers on small residential streets and a modest commercial strip along Broad Street, where Town Hall sits. The town is oriented around highway access rather than pedestrian infrastructure. Publicly reported sources identify General Atomics as operating a manufacturing and test facility nearby, doing work largely for the U.S. Navy, and warehousing also appears as a local industry sector. The Natchez Trace Parkway RV Park provides a recreational anchor. No public library was identified within Shannon town limits, and no municipal park system was described. The town's population has declined over recent census cycles, though the town website states Shannon has been diversifying its economy and welcoming new residents.
Housing in the Shannon zip code is affordable relative to both state and national benchmarks. Typical home values sit below the Mississippi state average and well below the national figure. The price-to-income ratio is favorable, and estimated monthly mortgage costs remain modest. Home values have been appreciating at a healthy clip recently. For families considering a move, the housing market here is accessible, though the town's population trend and limited commercial activity mean amenities are sparse.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and the absence of that metric reflects the grade band served rather than anything about school performance. No data on discipline, course access, staffing ratios, or attendance was available. No program offerings were listed. No district-level brief on recent bonds, referenda, or strategic priorities was found, so we left that out rather than guess. A parent weighing Shannon Elementary would want to ask the Lee County School District about math support structures, how science instruction carries into later grades, and what enrichment or intervention programs operate alongside the standard curriculum. The literacy growth within the building and the strong science results give the school something concrete to build on.
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