The top reported proficiency rate is 77% in Science. The lowest is 62% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Newton County Elementary School
Newton County Elementary School sits along Highway 15 in Decatur, the county seat of Newton County, Mississippi. It is a public school in the Newton County School District, serving pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. Decatur is a small town shaped by educational institutions. East Central Community College has its main campus here, and the town's motto, "Faith, Family, Education," reflects how central schools are to local identity. The town sits in a predominantly rural region with Interstate 20 running nearby. Newton County government offices and the courthouse anchor the downtown area, and the major employers in town are public sector and educational. Turkey Creek Water Park, just beyond the town limits, offers fishing and camping.
The school's state assessment results from the most recent year tell a generally positive academic story with some variation across grades and subjects. On the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program, English language arts proficiency is solid across the upper elementary grades, with three of the four tested grades showing a clear majority of students reaching proficiency. The sixth grade ELA result is the soft spot, with roughly half of students proficient. In math, the picture is more uneven. One grade stands out with a very strong proficiency rate, while another grade dips to about half of students proficient, with the remaining grades falling in between. Science results for the tested fifth grade are strong, with a clear majority reaching proficiency. A parent looking at these numbers would see a school where most grades are performing well in core subjects but where the upper grades, particularly sixth, may warrant a closer conversation with the school about how students are supported during that transition year.
The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Black enrollment and small representations from other racial and ethnic groups. A large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which aligns with the rural, working-class character of the surrounding community. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not reported, so those pieces of the school's profile are gaps a parent would need to ask about directly. The enrollment is sizable for a single elementary school serving pre-K through sixth grade.
Housing in the school's zip code is affordable relative to both state and national benchmarks. Home values sit well below the statewide figure and far below the national figure, and recent trends show a modest decline. The price-to-income ratio suggests that, for working families, purchasing a home in this area is more attainable than in many parts of the country. Rental data was not available, so families looking to rent would need to explore local listings. The broader economic context includes a national unemployment rate that has held steady, and mortgage rates that have fluctuated in a moderate range.
The town of Decatur experienced population growth through the 2000s before leveling off. Its median age is unusually young, reflecting the college population and the family-oriented character of the community. No specific new housing developments or commercial projects were identified in publicly available sources, and the district brief turned up little in the way of recent parent-relevant changes. The school's locale classification, Title I status, staffing ratios, discipline data, and course access information were all absent from the available data, so those dimensions could not be assessed here.
What the data does show is a rural elementary school with mostly strong test results, particularly in science and English language arts, serving a community where education is a defining civic value. Families drawn to a small-town setting with affordable housing and a school that performs well on state measures across most grades would find a reasonable match here. The gaps in the available data, particularly around special populations and the dip in upper-grade proficiency, are areas worth raising with school staff during a visit.
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