It was only a few months ago – back in September 2019 – that Oak Grove High School was ranked as the top Pine Belt high school in the state in the Mississippi Statewide Accountability System.
Now, the school is once again receiving recognition – on the state and national level – by being ranked as the 12-best school in Mississippi by the U.S. News & World Report in its recent Best High Schools ranking. The report, which was released this month, also named Oak Grove High as No. 2 among high schools in the Hattiesburg metropolitan area and No. 1 in the Lamar County School District’s high schools.
“Oak Grove High School is honored to be recognized and ranked by the 2020 U.S. News & World Report,” high school principal Helen Price said. “This is such good news, especially in the midst of these unusual circumstances (caused by the COVID-19 pandemic), and when our teachers are working so hard to provide continued online learning opportunities for our students.”
The study, which took into consideration 17,792 high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia – and 236 in Mississippi – placed the high school at No. 3,105 in the nation. Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation and how well they prepare students for college.
Nationwide, Oak Grove ranked No. 7,990 in College Readiness Index Rank (tie), No. 7,485 in College Curriculum Breadth Index Rank (tie), No. 1,387 in Math and Reading Proficiency Rank, No. 1,911 in Math and Reading Performance Rank (tie), and No. 8,046 in Graduation Rate Rank. Statewide, the school ranked No. 27 in College Readiness Index Rank, No. 30 in College Curriculum Breadth Index Rank, No. 19 in Math and Reading Proficiency Rank, No. 26 in Math and Reading Performance Rank, and No. 16 in Graduation Rate Rank.
The school’s graduation rate is 93.9 percent.
“This is an honor for Oak Grove High School and our district,” said Tess Smith, superintendent of the Lamar County School District. “I always feel such pride when one of our schools or an individual is recognized in a special way.
