Education
Learning to lead.
In a county with a storied literary heritage, learning is valued—and valuable.
In a county that has produced over 100 published writers, including a Pulitzer Prize winner and notable entertainment figures like Muppets creator Jim Henson, learning isn’t just about happy endings—it’s also about great beginnings and lifelong success. So while choice and quality make today’s P-12 schools a solid foundation for career and college readiness, higher education opportunities here and nearby mean residents never have to say “the end” to their education—lifelong learning is available and convenient at multiple highly-rated institutions.
P-12: Over 125 years of excellence. Lots of choice and low student-teacher ratios make Washington County Schools a great launching pad for today’s students ready to become tomorrow’s leaders. In the county’s 23 public schools, student-teacher ratios average 16:1, while the private schools average 9:1. Achievement and excellence are a given at local schools, starting at the top. A recent audit of the Greenville Public School District showed the District performing well above average in leadership and in the impact of teaching and learning. Strategic leveraging of federal monies puts Leland School District’s annual spending-per-pupil approximately $500 above the stage average. At private schools like St. Joseph’s High School (opened as a parish school in 1888), students learn in high-quality environments where rigorous standards and diversity in student population prepare them for a global future.
Greenville Higher Education Center: Completion convenience. Local employers rely on Mississippi Delta Community College (MDCC) for world-class workforce training, while local residents know MDCC as a strategic resource for seamless academic and vocational preparation, allowing students to complete career track training for immediate employment or earn two-year transferrable academic degrees. Students ready to go on to a baccalaureate degree can actually earn their four-year degree at the Greenville Higher Education Center, thanks to an innovative collaboration between MDCC, Delta State and Mississippi Valley State University.
Delta State University (DSU): Great performance. While it began as a teacher’s college in the 1920s and continues to lead in teacher preparation, DSU has steadily and meticulously expanded its offerings to encompass 42 majors, including Commercial Aviation and a nationally recognized Geospatial Information Technology program. At DSU 4,000 students from all 50 states and 20 foreign countries are preparing to meet global challenges. An added benefit for Washington County: DSU’s Cleveland location puts the University’s arts offerings—like the nationally acclaimed performances at the Bologna Arts Center—less than 45 minutes away.
Mississippi State University (MSU): Fielding dreams. Although recently MSU has made some big waves on the football field, the school has long dominated academic fields, earning the Carnegie Foundation’s designation as a comprehensive doctoral university with Very High Research Activity. Begun as an agricultural and engineering school, MSU now offers baccalaureate through doctoral degrees at a dozen colleges and schools, including the College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Art, Architecture and Design. MSU football action is exciting, but Bulldogs baseball is also big hit, drawing crowds from all over the state.
University of Mississippi—“Ole Miss”: Ole Miss may have been the site of the first U.S. Presidential debate of 2008, but there’s no arguing about the quality of a school heading toward its second centennial and turning out Rhodes, Goldwater and Truman scholars on a regular basis. The Oxford campus is home to 11 degree granting divisions, including schools of law and pharmacy. (The University’s schools of medicine, nursing and healthcare sciences are located in Jackson.) Ole Miss is also a popular sports destination for Washington County residents ready to cheer powerhouse SEC athletic teams.