For the 2026 school year, there are 2 public elementary schools serving 1,200 students in Forest Municipal School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in Mississippi.
Public Elementary Schools in Forest Municipal School District have an average math proficiency score of 35% (versus the Mississippi public elementary school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 24% (versus the 43% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 93% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the Mississippi public elementary school average of 58% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (MS)
# Schools
3 Schools
680 Schools
# Students
1,638 Students
286,688 Students
# Teachers
105 Teachers
19,842 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Forest Municipal School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% 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 82% has increased from 75-79% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#107 out of 148 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
37%
52%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
25%
42%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
34%
55%
Graduation Rate
82%
89%
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)26.7%
26.5%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.59
0.63
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
n/a
1%
% Hispanic
51%
7%
% Black
39%
43%
% White
7%
42%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $10,936 in this school district is less 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 $10,128 is less than the state median of $12,276. The school district spending/student has grown by 19% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$18 MM
$5,371 MM
Spending
$17 MM
$5,314 MM
Revenue / Student
$10,936
$12,408
Spending / Student
$10,128
$12,276
Best Forest Municipal School District Public Elementary Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Forest Elementary School
(Math: 47% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
513 Cleveland Street
Forest, MS 39074
(601) 469-3073
Forest, MS 39074
(601) 469-3073
Gr: PK-4 | 740 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 94%
Rank: #22.
Hawkins Middle School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 21%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
803 Oak Street
Forest, MS 39074
(601) 469-1474
Forest, MS 39074
(601) 469-1474
Gr: 5-8 | 460 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 92%
Recent Articles
Media Literacy as a Core Skill: How to Tell if a School Teaches It Well
Learn how to evaluate whether a public school teaches media literacy effectively, from fact-checking and source evaluation to digital citizenship and critical thinking.
Screen Time, Paper Learning, and the New Back-to-Basics Debate
Explore why some public schools are reducing screen time, bringing back paper learning, and rethinking the balance between technology and traditional instruction.
Student Data, AI Tools, and Privacy: Questions to Ask Your District
Learn how public schools use AI, protect student data, and the key privacy questions every parent should ask their school district in 2026.
