Rankin Elementary, 1908 Forrest St.: grades 3 to 5, 337 students in 2023-24, and a B from the state with 424 points for 2025-26.
Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. Sources: the Rankin Elementary website, its leadership page, fast facts and points of pride; the Tupelo Public School District’s schools page, K-5 attendance zone map (PDF), 2026-27 calendar (PDF) and 2026-27 arrival and dismissal times (PDF); the Mississippi Department of Education’s 2026 accountability results and report card; and the federal NCES school directory.
Rankin Elementary School is a Tupelo Public School District school for third through fifth grade in central and northwest Tupelo. It is paired with Joyner Elementary, which teaches kindergarten through second grade for the same zone. The school’s points of pride page says Rankin has twice been named a National Blue Ribbon School.
- Address: 1908 Forrest St., Tupelo, MS 38801
- Phone: 662-841-8950
- Grades: 3 to 5
- Website: tupeloschools.com/rankin
Who to call
- Front office: 662-841-8950
- Enrollment and attendance zones: the district’s Student Support Services, 662-841-8955
- Buses: the district’s Transportation Department, 662-841-8908
- District central office: 72 S. Green St., 662-841-8850
Principal
Principal Taylor Sparks, according to the school’s website, which lists Courtney Campbell as assistant principal. The school’s fast facts count 31 certified employees, 18 support staff members and four National Board Certified Teachers.
Enrollment and teachers
The most recent federal count, from the NCES directory for the 2023-24 school year, is 337 students and 32 full-time-equivalent teachers, about 10.5 students per teacher. The state’s 2025-26 report card counts 32.3 teacher FTEs.
State report card
Rankin earned a B for 2025-26, with 424 of 700 possible points, in the Mississippi Department of Education’s results file, released Oct. 15, 2026. A school needed 402 points for a B and 457 for an A this year, according to the state’s guide to the system (PDF). The school’s 2024-25 report card also shows a B.
From the same file and the school’s report card:
| Measure, 2025-26 | Rankin Elementary |
|---|---|
| Reading proficiency | 54.9% |
| Math proficiency | 43.4% |
| Science proficiency (fifth grade) | 84.6% |
| Reading growth, all students | 67.5% |
| Math growth, all students | 49.3% |
| Chronically absent students | 15.5% |
Mississippi grades every school and district from A to F, counting test scores, how much students improve from one year to the next, with extra weight on the lowest-performing 25% of students, and English learners’ progress. Because the writing part of the English test was field tested in 2026, the state used the higher of the 2025-26 or 2024-25 English results. The state also raised the bar this year, and says 2025-26 grades set a new baseline that “cannot be compared” to earlier years.
Attendance zone
On the district’s K-5 attendance zone map (PDF), the Joyner and Rankin zone covers the northwest and center of the district: north of roughly West Jackson Street, from the Endville Road and Walsh Road area in the west to Joyner Avenue and McCullough Boulevard in the east, including Lumpkin Avenue and Jackson Street Extended.
Feeder pattern: kindergarten through second grade at Joyner Elementary, third through fifth grade at Rankin, then Milam Elementary for sixth grade, Tupelo Middle School and Tupelo High School.
Zones do not follow city limits or mailing addresses. Student Support Services handles “identifying school attendance zones” and in-district transfer requests; call 662-841-8955 to confirm an address. We found no zone change approved by the school board.
Calendar and bell times
On the district’s 2026-27 arrival and dismissal times, Rankin starts at 8 a.m. and dismisses at 2:50 p.m. The latest check-in is 10 a.m. and the earliest check-out 12:40 p.m. Early dismissal is at 12:15 p.m.; on a one-hour delay school starts at 9 a.m., and on a two-hour delay at 10 a.m.
From the district’s 2026-27 calendar:
- Monday, Oct. 19: classes resume after fall break
- Nov. 23-27: Thanksgiving holidays
- Friday, Dec. 18: end of the second quarter, early dismissal
- Dec. 21 to Jan. 1: Christmas holidays; students return Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2027
- March 8-12, 2027: spring break
More
- The district’s schools page and the school’s website
- The state’s Rankin Elementary report card
- Every public school in Tupelo, with grades and report cards: our Tupelo public schools guide
- Registration, the school board and the full calendar: our Tupelo schools guide
Frequently asked questions
What grades does Rankin Elementary serve?
Third through fifth grade. Children in its zone attend Joyner Elementary for kindergarten through second grade, then Rankin.
What grade did Rankin Elementary get from the state?
A B for 2025-26, with 424 of 700 possible points, in the Mississippi Department of Education’s results released Oct. 15, 2026. A school needed 402 points for a B and 457 for an A.
What time does Rankin Elementary start?
8 a.m., with dismissal at 2:50 p.m., on the district’s 2026-27 arrival and dismissal schedule. Early dismissal days end at 12:15 p.m.
Where do Rankin students go after fifth grade?
Milam Elementary, the district’s sixth-grade school, then Tupelo Middle School and Tupelo High School.
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