The top reported proficiency rate is 75% in Science. The lowest is 58% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Pearl Upper School
Pearl Upper School sits in the heart of Pearl, a suburban community on the east side of the Pearl River directly adjacent to Jackson. The school serves only fourth and fifth grades, a narrow band that makes it a transitional campus between Pearl's lower elementary grades and its junior high. Families here are part of the Pearl Public School District, a community-rooted system whose campuses are spread across the city rather than clustered on a single site.
Academically, Pearl Upper posts solid results on Mississippi's MAAP assessments. In fourth grade math, well over half of tested students reached proficiency, and the same held true in fourth grade English language arts. Fifth grade math dipped somewhat, with just over half proficient, while fifth grade ELA came in stronger. The standout number is fifth grade science, where roughly three-quarters of students demonstrated proficiency, a genuinely strong result for a school serving a moderate-income population. The school draws a substantial share of its students from families qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, and the student body reflects Pearl's working-class and middle-class mix. White students make up the largest group, with Black students forming the next largest, followed by smaller Hispanic and multiracial populations. The school is not a charter and not a magnet. It is a traditional public school serving its attendance zone.
Because Pearl Upper covers only two grade levels, there is no graduation rate, no AP or dual-credit coursework, and no high school extracurricular profile to assess. Those pieces belong to Pearl High School down the road. What Pearl Upper does is move children through a critical academic bridge, and its state testing results suggest it does this reasonably well, with science a particular bright spot. A parent looking at the fifth grade math dip might want to ask the school what supports are in place for students who arrive at that grade needing to catch up, since the data shows a drop from fourth to fifth in that subject even as ELA moves the other direction.
The community context matters for any family weighing a move here. Pearl is a car-oriented city built along highway corridors, with retail concentrations along Highway 80 including big-box stores and outlet shopping, an industrial park that is drawing new investment, and residential neighborhoods spread across a range of income levels. The city has been growing modestly, with publicly reported population increases since the 2020 census and new development drivers including a Siemens Energy manufacturing facility planned for the West Rankin Industrial Park. A new parkway connecting Pearl to neighboring Flowood opened recently, and Hinds Community College's Rankin Campus is adding its first residence hall. Civic life centers around the City Hall complex and Trustmark Park, home to professional baseball, rather than a traditional downtown square. A Main Street revitalization effort launched a few years ago is still in early stages.
Housing in the Pearl zip code sits above the Mississippi state benchmark for home values but well below the national figure, making it relatively affordable by broader standards. Rents follow a similar pattern. For families weighing where to live within the Jackson metro, Pearl offers a lower-cost entry point than many markets nationally while still providing access to a growing employment corridor.
Several data gaps are worth naming. The school's IEP and English learner counts were not available, so a family whose child receives special education or English language services would want to ask the district directly about staffing and service models. No discipline, attendance, or staffing data was provided, and no program offerings beyond the standard curriculum were listed. The district brief returned no specific parent-relevant changes from recent meetings, so we left that out rather than speculate. What the available picture does show is a two-grade transitional campus with respectable state test results, a diverse working-class student body, and a community in the early stages of steady economic growth.
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