Lowndes County School District

1053 Hwy 45 South
Columbus, MS 39701
(District boundaries shown in map)
9/
10
Top 20%

Top Rankings

Lowndes County School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Mississippi for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 5%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 6 public elementary schools serving 3,628 students in Lowndes County School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 10% of public elementary schools in Mississippi.
Public Elementary Schools in Lowndes County School District have an average math proficiency score of 66% (versus the Mississippi public elementary school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 51% (versus the 43% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 43% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the Mississippi public elementary school average of 58% (majority Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (MS)
# Schools
10 Schools
682 Schools
# Students
5,261 Students
286,688 Students
# Teachers
406 Teachers
19,842 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
13:1
13:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Lowndes County School District, which is ranked within the top 20% of all 147 school districts in Mississippi (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 92% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
This School District
State Average (MS)
#18 out of 148 school districts
(Top 20%)
65%
52%
50%
42%
62%
55%
92%
89%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.56
0.63
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
n/a
1%
% Hispanic
3%
7%
% Black
37%
43%
% White
56%
42%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $13,566 is higher than the state median of $12,408. The school district revenue/student has grown by 22% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $10,808 is less than the state median of $12,276. The school district spending/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
This School District
This State (MS)
Total Revenue
$71 MM
$5,371 MM
Spending
$57 MM
$5,314 MM
Revenue / Student
$13,566
$12,408
Spending / Student
$10,808
$12,276

Best Lowndes County School District Public Elementary Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Caledonia Elementary School
(Math: 76% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
9509 Wolfe Rd
Caledonia, MS 39740
(662) 356-2050
Gr: PK-5 | 1,070 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 27%
Rank: #22.
Caledonia Middle School
(Math: 75% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
105 Confederate Drive
Caledonia, MS 39740
(662) 356-2042
Gr: 6-8 | 487 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 25%
Rank: #33.
New Hope Elementary School
(Math: 54% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
199 Enlow Road
Columbus, MS 39702
(662) 244-4760
Gr: PK-5 | 1,191 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 49%
Rank: #44.
New Hope Middle School
(Math: 62% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
3419 New Hope Rd
Columbus, MS 39702
(662) 244-4740
Gr: 6-8 | 604 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 49%
Rank: #55.
West Lowndes Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1000 Gilmer Wilburn Road
Columbus, MS 39701
(662) 244-5050
Gr: PK-6 | 276 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 99%
Rank: n/an/a
Lowndes County Alternative School
Alternative School
3419 New Hope Road
Columbus, MS 39702
(662) 244-5060
Gr: PK-12

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 10 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 5,261 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 13:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 45%
  • : 92% (Top 5% in MS)
  • : Top 20%
  • : 65% (Top 20%)
  • : 50% (Top 20%)
  • : 62% (Top 30%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), MS Dept. of Education

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