In 2023-24 school year, Black students had highest representation in Pike County schools

Among the ethnicities represented in Pike County schools, Black was the most prevalent among the county students in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Mississippi Department of Education.

Of the 5,581 students attending Pike County schools, 71% were Black. White students were the second most common ethnicity, making up 24.4% of Pike County student body.

In the previous school year, Black students were also the most common group in Pike County, representing 70.8% of the student body.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in public schools in the county dropped 1.5% when compared to the previous year.

Mississippi’s schools, with an enrollment of 436,523 in the 2023-24 academic year, are mostly divided between two ethnicities, with Black or African American students being the largest racial group at 46.86%, followed by white students at 42.14%.

Students in the state showed a significant improvement in the 2022-23 academic year, demonstrating sustained progress in their post-pandemic recovery. Overall, 87% of schools and 91% of districts achieved a grade of C or better, compared to 81% of schools and 87% of districts in the prior year.

Results from the 2022-23 Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) showed students reaching an all-time high in all core subjects. Students better performed on the Math and English portion of the test, achieving grades around 5% better than in the previous year.