The top reported proficiency rate is 81% in Science. The lowest is 60% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Perkinston Elementary School
Perkinston Elementary School sits in the heart of an unincorporated community that has always been defined more by its educational institutions than by commerce. The community straddles U.S. Highway 49 in central Stone County, a rural stretch of long-leaf pine country that historically lived off timber and turpentine. What gives Perkinston its identity is the campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, whose main grounds occupy a sizable tract along the highway. The town itself never developed a traditional downtown. A post office, churches, a general store, and a service station were about the extent of its historical commercial footprint. Today the area remains car-dependent and low-density, with the college campus and the public schools serving as the community's true civic anchors. A large ATV park opened west of town in recent years, adding a recreational draw, and the WLOX TV Tower stands as a local landmark. Perkinston is part of the Gulfport-Biloxi metropolitan statistical area, which means the Gulf Coast is within reach, but the community itself retains a quiet rural character.
The school serves kindergarten through fifth grade and draws a predominantly White student body, with a small Black population and a handful of students from other racial backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the working-class economic profile of the surrounding area. The enrollment is moderate for an elementary school, and each grade level carries a roughly similar number of students, which gives the school a balanced feel across its grade bands.
On state assessments through the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program, the school's results tell a clear and mostly encouraging story. Mathematics is a genuine strength. Proficiency rates across third, fourth, and fifth grade sit well above where many Mississippi elementary schools land, with fifth grade reaching a particularly high level. Science proficiency in fifth grade is also strong, among the best results the school posts. English language arts is more mixed. Third grade proficiency lags noticeably behind the school's own math results, suggesting that early literacy may be an area where some children need more support. Fourth and fifth grade ELA results climb to a healthier level, closer to the school's math performance. A parent considering this school may want to look into the third-grade literacy supports and how the school intervenes when children are still building foundational reading skills. Participation rates were not reported in the data we received, which limits the ability to confirm full test coverage, though the tested counts across grades appear consistent with the enrollment figures.
Because this is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report, no AP or dual-credit access, and no career-pathway data. Those measures simply do not apply to a school serving children through fifth grade. We also did not find data on special-education enrollment, English-learner counts, staffing ratios, discipline, or attendance, so those dimensions of school life cannot be characterized here.
The broader Stone County School District is in a period of visible investment. A new Career and Technical Education building opened in August 2024, expanding vocational options for older students. A new high school is under construction and slated to open in 2026, a major infrastructure commitment that will reshape secondary education across the district. Stone Elementary School, another campus in the district, expanded its arts programming in 2024 through a Mississippi Whole Schools grant. These developments do not directly change Perkinston Elementary, but they signal a district directing resources toward facilities and enrichment, which can shape the trajectory a child follows after leaving the elementary grades.
Housing in the Perkinston ZIP code is affordable by national standards. Typical home values sit below the national benchmark and modestly above the statewide Mississippi figure, with a price-to-income ratio that remains within reach for many working families. Current mortgage rates hover in the mid-six-percent range, and the estimated monthly mortgage on a typical home is manageable relative to national median household income. No rental data was available for this area, so renters will need to look elsewhere for guidance. The housing market has seen modest year-over-year value appreciation, consistent with the slow but steady population growth the area has experienced.
For a family weighing Perkinston Elementary, the picture is one of a small rural school with solid math and science instruction, improving but uneven early literacy results, and a district that appears to be investing in its future. The setting is quiet, car-dependent, and deeply rooted in education, with the community college campus providing a cultural anchor that few towns of this size can claim.
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