Total enrollment
4,415
-1,317 (-23%) vs SY 2017-18
Bolivar County
Mississippi · Public K-12
In Bolivar County, Mississippi, the public-school system rolls up to 19 schools and roughly 4,415 K-12 students, with county median household income around $39,585. By grade band, the county runs 10 elementary, 1 middle, and 7 high schools.
7-year change in Bolivar County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
15
-4 (-21%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
12%
was 15%
% Hispanic
3%
was 2%
% Black
76%
was 81%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
29,534
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
19
4 districts
Enrollment
4,415
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$39,585
Below Mississippi avg
Free/reduced lunch
99.7%
Above Mississippi avg
Elementary
10
2,396 students
Middle
1
423 students
High
7
1,596 students
Combined / other
1
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Cleveland School District
2,793 students · 4 districts in Bolivar County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Bolivar County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
28.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
26.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
7.1%
civilian labor
Median age
38
24.6% under 18
Test scores in Bolivar County
Latest 2023-24 ELA proficiency, 15 schools ranked. Mississippi state average: 46.0%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Hayes Cooper Center· 63.6%
- Bell Academy· 58.8%
- Casper E Hall· 50.0%
- Cleveland Central High School· 40.0%
- I. T. Montgomery Elementary School· 37.8%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Nailor Elementary School· 19.0%
- West Bolivar High School· 19.5%
- Shaw High School· 21.3%
- West Bolivar Elementary· 22.6%
- D.M. Smith Elementary· 23.1%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Central High School | Cleveland | High | 09-12 | 799 | · |
| Cleveland Central Middle School | Cleveland | Middle | 07-08 | 423 | · |
| Northside High School | Shelby | High | 07-12 | 370 | · |
| Bell Academy | Boyle | Elementary | PK-06 | 327 | · |
| Hayes Cooper Center | Merigold | Elementary | PK-06 | 304 | · |
| Parks Elementary School | Cleveland | Elementary | PK-06 | 265 | · |
| Nailor Elementary School | Cleveland | Elementary | PK-02 | 256 | · |
| West Bolivar Elementary | Rosedale | Elementary | KG-06 | 242 | · |
| D.M. Smith Elementary | Cleveland | Elementary | 03-06 | 233 | · |
| West Bolivar High School | Rosedale | High | 07-12 | 227 | · |
| McEvans Elementary School | Shaw | Elementary | KG-06 | 204 | · |
| Shaw High School | Shaw | High | 07-12 | 200 | · |
| Casper E Hall | Duncan | Elementary | PK-06 | 194 | · |
| Pearman Elementary School | Cleveland | Elementary | 01-06 | 186 | · |
| I. T. Montgomery Elementary School | Mound Bayou | Elementary | PK-06 | 185 | · |
| ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL | Cleveland | High | 05-12 | 0 | · |
| CLEVELAND VOC TECH COMPLEX | Cleveland | High | 08-12 | 0 | · |
| JOE BARNES VOCATIONAL CENTER | Rosedale | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| MCEVANS SCHOOL | Shaw | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Bolivar County
About Bolivar County
Bolivar County is a rural-scale county of about 29,534 residents in Mississippi. Its public-school system educates approximately 4,415 students across 19 schools.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show the median household earns about $39,585 a year, 28% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 27%. That income level is 21% lower than the Mississippi median.
On the school-mix side, Bolivar County covers 10 elementary schools (2,396 students), 1 middle school (423), 7 high schools (1,596), and 1 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Bolivar County is Cleveland School District, which alone enrolls about 2,793 students.
Over the past 7-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 4,415 students, fell 23% from the 5,732 reported in SY 2017-18. The school count fell from 19 to 15 across the same 7-year window. Demographically, the Black share of enrollment declined from 81% to 76%.
On this page, the community for Bolivar County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Bolivar County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data