The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in English language arts. The lowest is 48% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Jackson Elementary School
Jackson Elementary School sits on Lanier Street in Pascagoula, serving pre-kindergarten through fourth grade as part of the Pascagoula-Gautier School District. It is a small school for its grade band, with a student body that is majority Black, with a substantial Hispanic presence and smaller white, multiracial, and Asian groups. Every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which marks this as a school serving a community where economic need is widespread. The school does not report figures for English learners or students with individualized education programs, so those portraits are incomplete here.
The most important thing a parent needs to know is that Jackson Elementary is publicly reported to be closing after the current school year. The district plans to shutter the school, which will redraw attendance zones and shift where families send their elementary-aged children. Anyone moving into the area or evaluating this school should treat that closure as the central fact, since it will directly determine where students land next.
On state testing, Mississippi's MAAP assessment results from the most recent school year show a mixed picture. Third graders performed at a moderate level in both math and English language arts, with a clear majority reaching proficiency in each subject. Fourth grade tells a different story. English language arts was stronger, with a solid majority of fourth graders proficient. Math was weaker, with fewer than half reaching proficiency. The tested groups are small, so results should be read with that in mind. A parent may want to look into the fourth-grade math dip with the school or district, particularly given the upcoming closure and transition. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is hard to say whether these results represent improvement, decline, or stability.
Because this school stops at fourth grade, there is no graduation rate, no AP or dual-credit coursework, and no career pathway data to assess. Those measures simply do not apply to an elementary school serving this age range. We looked for civil-rights data, discipline figures, staffing levels, attendance patterns, and course-access details, and found none reported in the available sources, so those dimensions go unnamed rather than guessed.
Pascagoula itself is a Gulf Coast city defined by heavy industry. Ingalls Shipbuilding, the state's largest employer, and Chevron's largest refinery anchor the local economy, joined by Bollinger Shipyards, Rolls Royce Naval Marine, and a network of contractors and suppliers. The city has a historic downtown core, formerly the town of Scranton, that hosts community events like the Goula Palooza festival. The built environment is generally car-dependent, with U.S. Route 90 running through as a main arterial. Shepard State Park, the Gulf Islands National Seashore, and the Old Spanish Fort are among the civic and recreational anchors nearby. Amtrak's Mardi Gras Service recently began serving the city.
The city's population peaked in the late 1970s and early 1980s during the height of Cold War defense spending and has slightly declined since. Post-Hurricane Katrina rebuilding reshaped parts of the community, with infrastructure like geotubes installed for beach protection and requirements for rebuilt homes to sit on pilings. The city is publicly described as an attractive place for families, with a friendly atmosphere, though the industrial character shapes much of daily life.
Housing in the school's zip code is affordable relative to both state and national benchmarks. Home values sit well below the state median and roughly a third of the national figure, and rents are correspondingly modest. A slight year-over-year decline in home values has kept prices accessible, though rents have risen sharply over the past year. For a family weighing a move here, the cost of living is low, and the industrial base provides steady employment for many residents.
The reality is that Jackson Elementary is nearing the end of its run. Families considering this area should focus less on the school as it stands and more on where the district will direct its students once the doors close. Asking the Pascagoula-Gautier School District about the new attendance zones and receiving schools is the logical next step.
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