The top reported proficiency rate is 85% in Science. The lowest is 61% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on New Albany Elementary School
New Albany Elementary School serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in New Albany, the county seat of Union County, Mississippi. It is part of the New Albany Public School District and sits in a small city that functions as a regional hub for commerce, agriculture, and services in the hills of north Mississippi. The town grew from a grist mill and sawmill on the Tallahatchie River into a river port, and today Interstate 22 bisects it. The Tanglefoot Trail, Mississippi's longest rail-trail, begins here, giving families a paved path for walking and cycling. Two railroads still cross through the historic downtown. The built environment is a familiar small-town pattern of residential neighborhoods and commercial blocks, with limited dedicated walkability infrastructure but a compact core.
The school itself is sizable for its grade band, with a substantial enrollment across pre-kindergarten and the elementary grades. Its student body reflects the racial and ethnic mix of the surrounding community. White students make up roughly half the enrollment, Black students about a quarter, and Hispanic students a meaningful minority, with smaller groups of Asian, multiracial, and Native American students. A majority of children qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which speaks to the working-class character of much of the area. The district has been publicly recognized as A-rated and designated an Apple Distinguished School district, and it has adopted a strategic plan running through 2030, though specific parent-relevant changes within the last year were not available in the search results.
On state assessments, the most recent results paint a picture of generally strong academic performance with one clear area of concern. Math proficiency is solid across the tested grades, with a healthy share of third and fifth graders reaching proficiency and an even stronger showing in fourth grade. Science results for fifth graders stand out as a particular strength, with a large majority testing proficient or above. English language arts follows an improving trajectory as students move up through the grades. Third-grade ELA proficiency is the weakest result in the dataset, with fewer than half of tested students reaching proficiency. By fourth grade that share rises substantially, and by fifth grade a clear majority is proficient. The third-grade result is the one area where a parent may want to look into this further with the school, perhaps asking about early literacy interventions, phonics instruction, and how the school supports children who arrive below grade level in reading. The broader pattern of gains from third through fifth grade suggests the school is moving students forward as they progress, even if the entry point is a soft spot.
Trend data comparing year-over-year results was not available, so it is not possible to say whether these proficiency levels are improving or declining over time. Participation rates for the state assessments were also missing from the data. Information on English learner services and special education enrollment was not reported, so we cannot characterize how those populations are served or how large they are. No civil-rights data on discipline, access, or staffing was provided, and no program offerings such as gifted coursework, arts, or extracurriculars were listed. These gaps mean the picture here is limited to demographics, assessment results, and community context.
Housing in the New Albany zip code is modestly priced relative to both state and national benchmarks. The typical home value sits below the state average and well below the national figure, and the price-to-income ratio is low, meaning a family earning a typical income has a reasonable shot at buying. Mortgage rates remain elevated in the broader economy, which pushes monthly carrying costs up, but the underlying home prices keep the area relatively affordable. The local housing market has seen modest appreciation recently. No specific new housing developments were identified, and building permit data was not available.
For a family considering this school, the academic results are encouraging in math and science and show clear growth in English language arts across the elementary years, with the third-grade reading number being the one to watch. The community is a small Mississippi county seat with river and trail amenities, interstate access, and a cost of living that keeps homeownership within reach for many households. The school's enrollment is large enough to offer peer diversity and likely a range of classroom sections, and its demographics mirror the town rather than concentrating any single group. Where data is missing, particularly around special populations, staffing, and programs, a parent would benefit from asking the district directly.
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