Tippah, Benton School Grades 2026: All Three Districts Earn B

All three public school districts in Tippah and Benton counties earned a B in the 2026 state school grades, which the Mississippi Department of Education released this week under tougher grading standards. South Tippah, Benton County and North Tippah each got a B. Ripley High School and Blue Mountain High School both earned an A.

The ratings are based on the 2025-26 school year. MDE raised the number of points needed for each letter grade this year, so state officials say the 2026 results should be treated as a new baseline rather than compared directly with past letter grades.

2026 District School Grades

Here is how the local districts scored, according to MDE’s 2026 accountability file:

• South Tippah School District: B, 683 points (reading proficiency 47.8%, math 62.1%, graduation rate 93.7%)
• Benton County School District: B, 667 points (reading 44%, math 45.7%, graduation rate 98.3%)
• North Tippah School District: B, 644 points (reading 45.1%, math 47.9%, graduation rate 92.6%)

South Tippah was rated an A district for the 2024-25 school year, so its B this year reflects the higher bar as well as its scores. Benton County’s 98.3% graduation rate stands out among area districts.

Local High School Grades

High schools are graded on a 1,000-point scale that adds graduation rates and college and career readiness to test results:

• Ripley High School (South Tippah): A, 776
• Blue Mountain High School (South Tippah): A, 751
• Hickory Flat Attendance Center (Benton County): B, 706
• Pine Grove High School (South Tippah): B, 683
• Walnut Attendance Center (North Tippah): B, 677
• Ashland High School (Benton County): C, 631
• Falkner Attendance Center (North Tippah): D, 591

Elementary and Middle School Grades

Schools without a 12th grade are scored on a 700-point scale based on proficiency and student growth:

• Chalybeate Elementary School (North Tippah): B, 418
• Ashland Elementary School (Benton County): B, 410
• Ripley Elementary School (South Tippah): B, 406
• Ripley Middle School (South Tippah): C, 399

Why More Schools Got Lower Grades Statewide

State law requires Mississippi to raise its grading standards once 65% of schools or districts earn a B or higher, a mark reached in 2023. The higher cut scores took effect with this year’s ratings.

Across the 148 districts in MDE’s summary, 31 earned an A this year, down from 52 in 2025. Another 44 earned a B, 47 a C, 21 a D and 3 an F. That puts all three Tippah and Benton districts among the 75 statewide that earned an A or B.

Parents can look up full results for each school, including subject-by-subject proficiency and growth, on MDE’s accountability page and the Mississippi Succeeds Report Card. For more school news from the area, see our story on Ripley Middle School’s Community Helpers Week.

Source: Mississippi Department of Education, 2026 Accountability