Elementary and Secondary Education

Education at the kindergarten through 12th-grade level in Alcorn County is provided by two school systems, one serving students in Corinth and one for those in other areas of the county.

Corinth School District

Recognized as one of Mississippi’s best, the Corinth School District provides high-quality educational opportunities. With a Quality Distribution Index of 184, the district is rated as High Performing overall by the Mississippi Department of Education.

Corinth Elementary School

The Corinth School District operates three schools to accommodate students in age-appropriate learning environments:

• Corinth Elementary School (grades Pre-K–4)
• Corinth Middle School (grades 5–8)
• Corinth High School (grades 9–12)

A 2008 bond issue in Corinth (passed by an 87 percent vote) provided funding for a new elementary school, equipped with smart boards and other current technology. The school just opened in Fall 2010. Grades 5 through 8 are now housed in the middle school and grades 9 through 12 at Corinth High School. Also funded were construction and technology upgrades at Corinth Junior High School.

The district’s schools offer many enrichment, remediation, and special education programs as well as extracurricular activities. Accelerated and advanced placement courses are offered at the junior high and high school levels. Corinth students score above the national average on standardized achievement tests and the ACT.

Accolades

• All of the four schools that received accountability ratings in 2009 were rated High Performing.
• Corinth High School has been recognized by Redbook magazine as one of the top 100 high schools in the nation.
• East Corinth and South Corinth elementary schools have been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as Distinguished Title I schools.

Alcorn School District

Ensuring that students master the skills necessary for success in tomorrow’s world while inspiring a lifelong love of learning is the goal of Alcorn County schools.

The Alcorn School District has achieved a Quality Distribution Index of 169  for an overall quality rating of Successful. It is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Mississippi Department of Education.

The district serves over 3,700 students and met or exceeded the state pass rate in all areas of the subject area testing program (SATP) in 2009. See the district’s Report Card. The graduation rate in 2007-08 was 87 percent.

The school district operates 10 schools across the county:

Kossuth High School

• Alcorn Central Elementary School (Glen, MS; grades K–4)
• Alcorn Central Middle School (Glen, MS; grades 5–8)
• Alcorn Central High School (Glen, MS; grades 9–12)
• Biggersville Elementary School (grades K–6)
• Biggersville High School (grades 7–12)
• Glendale Elementary School (grades K–6)
• Kossuth Elementary School (grades K–4)
• Kossuth Middle School (grades 5–8)
• Kossuth High School (grade 9–12)
• Rienzi Elementary School (grades K–6)

Accolades

• Rienzi Elementary School has been designated a STAR School, the highest rating given.
• Kossuth Elementary School and Alcorn Central Middle School are rated as High Performing schools.
• All other schools in the system are rated Successful.
• Alcorn Central Middle School, Kossuth Middle School, Biggersville High School, and Kossuth High School have been named Value Added Schools by the Program of Research and Evaluation of Public Schools (PREPS).
• The Alcorn County School District was one of only six in the state to receive the Hugh Peck Award from PREPS for 2009. The award recognizes school districts and organizations that have participated in worthwhile research for the betterment of the state’s schools.

Tuition Guarantee Program

Seniors who graduate from Corinth City High School or from any of the county-operated high schools are eligible for the Tuition Guarantee Program offered by Northeast Mississippi Community College (NEMCC).

Graduating seniors who complete all application requirements before the end of May can have their tuition paid for four consecutive regular semesters at NEMCC beginning with the fall semester.

Participants in the program must maintain full-time status and earn at least a C average each semester. Full details are available from the NEMCC Development and Alumni Association.

Northeast Mississippi Community College

Northeast Mississippi Community College

With its main campus in Booneville, Mississippi, about 20 miles from Corinth, Northeast Mississippi Community College (NEMCC) serves Alcorn County and four other adjacent counties. A comprehensive community college, it offers college-transfer courses as well as career and technical preparation by conventional and online course delivery methods.

A recently established Corinth branch provides more convenient access to NEMCC educational programs and services for residents and businesses in Alcorn County.

Workforce Training

Workforce training programs of Northeast Mississippi Community College are tailored to the needs of business and industry. See the Workforce Training page for detailed information.

Mississippi Public Universities

The State of Mississippi system of higher education includes eight universities spread across the state. Those closest to Alcorn County are:

• University of Mississippi (“Ole Miss”) at Oxford (85 miles from Corinth)
• Mississippi State University at Starkville (120 miles)
• Mississippi University for Women at Columbus (120 miles)

The first two are doctoral-degree-granting institutions. All three offer outreach programs of value to the state’s businesses and industries. See the Mississippi University Industrial Outreach page  for more information.