Nichols Middle School

Summary:

Nichols Middle School is a public middle school in Canton, Mississippi, serving 396 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Canton Public School District, which is ranked 100 out of 130 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Nichols Middle School has a predominantly African American student population, with over 85% of students identifying as such in recent years.

Academically, Nichols Middle School consistently underperforms compared to state and district averages on standardized tests. In the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts ranged from 13.2% for 8th grade to 25.7% for 7th grade, significantly lower than the state averages. The school's performance in Mathematics is also below state and district levels, with proficiency rates ranging from 22.8% for 8th grade to 26.4% for 6th grade. As a result, Nichols Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Mississippi middle schools, with a ranking of 243 out of 264 schools in the 2023-2024 school year and a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Madison Middle School in the Madison County School District, Nichols Middle School is significantly underperforming. For example, Madison Middle School has proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics that are over 30 percentage points higher than Nichols Middle School. Additionally, Nichols Middle School has a 100% free and reduced lunch rate, indicating that all students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, which is significantly higher than the nearby schools in the Madison County School District.

Detail:

Public 6-8

529 North Mace Street
Canton, MS 39046

(601) 859-3741

District: Canton Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
243^rd of 264 Mississippi Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,933

Students who attend Nichols Middle School usually attend:

High:

Canton Public High School

Feeder schools for Nichols Middle School:

Elementary:	Canton Elementary School
	Jimmie M. Goodloe Elementary School
	Mc Neal Elementary School
	Reuben B. Myers Canton School Of Ar

Student/teacher ratio: 14.8

Number of students: 388

Racial breakdown:

African American:

84.3%

Hispanic:

13.7%

Two or more races:

1.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Nichols Middle School ranks worse than 92% of middle schools in Mississippi. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.97. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (84.3%), Hispanic (13.7%), two or more races (1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Nichols Middle School is 14.8. (See more...)

Compare Nichols Middle School employs 26.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Nichols Middle School is $11,933.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Nichols Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Nichols Middle School 243^rd of 264 Mississippi public middle schools. (See Nichols Middle School in the ranking list.)

Canton Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Canton Public School District 100^th of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Nichols Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MS State Percentile
2008	5.77	244^th	244	0.0%
2009	15.21	215^th	247	13.0%
2010	15.21	230^th	255	9.8%
2011	42.73	172^nd	264	34.8%
2012	37.48	178^th	270	34.1%
2013	29.77	195^th	269	27.5%
2014	31.52	188^th	264	28.8%
2015	14.98	239^th	266	10.2%
2016	13.62	237^th	260	8.8%
2017	14.76	234^th	272	14.0%
2018	10.84	235^th	252	6.7%
2019	9.43	249^th	264	5.7%
2021	13.35	223^rd	257	13.2%
2022	39.20	149^th	257	42.0%
2023	18.79	205^th	243	15.6%
2024	11.97	243^rd	264	8.0%

See the entire list of Mississippi Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Mississippi Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Nichols Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1990	34	1143	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1177
1991	33	1183	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1216
1992	26	1118	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1144
1993	27	1133	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1160
1994	16	1123	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1139
1995	13	1200	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	1216
1996	13	1200	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	1216
1997	14	1193	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1207
1998	12	1165	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1177
1999	10	1147	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1157
2000	4	1130	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1134
2001	7	1100	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	1112
2002	4	1161	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	1167
2003	4	1161	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	1167
2004	2	1137	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	1141
2005	1	1184	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	1188
2006	1	1080	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	1087
2007	0	796	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	802
2008	0	738	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	743
2009	1	761	0	6	0	0	0	768
2010	3	784	2	5	0	0	0	794
2011	5	742	3	7	0	0	0	757
2012	4	697	2	10	0	0	0	713
2013	3	721	1	16	0	1	2	744
2014	1	393	4	4	0	0	2	404
2015	0	376	1	16	0	0	0	393
2016	0	348	2	19	0	0	0	369
2017	1	369	1	31	0	0	0	402
2018	1	321	2	31	0	0	0	355
2019	0	334	3	43	0	0	0	380
2020	2	352	3	43	0	0	0	400
2021	1	346	1	56	1	0	1	406
2022	1	332	1	46	1	0	1	382
2023	2	339	0	52	0	0	3	396
2024	3	327	1	53	0	0	4	388

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Nichols Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	1177	51.8	22.7	n/a
1991	1216	53.4	22.7	n/a
1992	1144	51.0	22.4	92.8
1993	1160	49.2	23.6	92.8
1994	1139	48.5	23.5	92.1
1995	1216	55.4	21.9	84.6
1996	1216	55.4	21.9	84.6
1997	1207	51.8	23.3	90.1
1998	1177	47.9	24.6	93.1
1999	1157	52.4	22.1	91.8
2000	1134	51.7	21.9	93
2001	1112	48.9	22.7	89.8
2002	1167	60.8	19.2	91.3
2003	1167	60.8	19.2	91.3
2004	1141	69.3	16.5	99.7
2005	1188	66.4	17.9	93.8
2006	1087	67.9	16.0	94.7
2007	802	48.4	16.6	93
2008	743	55.0	13.5	85.5
2009	768	61.4	12.5	95.6
2010	794	58.7	13.5	95.6
2011	757	57.0	13.2	97.4
2012	713	58.6	12.1	95.8
2013	744	60.0	12.3	98.3
2014	404	28.6	14.1	99.3
2015	393	26.0	15.1	100
2016	369	28.0	13.1	100
2017	402	26.2	15.3	100
2018	355	25.2	14.0	100
2019	380	33.0	11.4	100
2020	400	33.6	11.8	100
2021	406	31.6	12.8	100
2022	382	26.2	14.5	100
2023	396	25.3	15.6	100
2024	388	26.1	14.8	100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Nichols Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	1177	51.8	22.7	n/a
1991	1216	53.4	22.7	n/a
1992	1144	51.0	22.4	92.8
1993	1160	49.2	23.6	92.8
1994	1139	48.5	23.5	92.1
1995	1216	55.4	21.9	84.6
1996	1216	55.4	21.9	84.6
1997	1207	51.8	23.3	90.1
1998	1177	47.9	24.6	93.1
1999	1157	52.4	22.1	91.8
2000	1134	51.7	21.9	93
2001	1112	48.9	22.7	89.8
2002	1167	60.8	19.2	91.3
2003	1167	60.8	19.2	91.3
2004	1141	69.3	16.5	99.7
2005	1188	66.4	17.9	93.8
2006	1087	67.9	16.0	94.7
2007	802	48.4	16.6	93
2008	743	55.0	13.5	85.5
2009	768	61.4	12.5	95.6
2010	794	58.7	13.5	95.6
2011	757	57.0	13.2	97.4
2012	713	58.6	12.1	95.8
2013	744	60.0	12.3	98.3
2014	404	28.6	14.1	99.3
2015	393	26.0	15.1	100
2016	369	28.0	13.1	100
2017	402	26.2	15.3	100
2018	355	25.2	14.0	100
2019	380	33.0	11.4	100
2020	400	33.6	11.8	100
2021	406	31.6	12.8	100
2022	382	26.2	14.5	100
2023	396	25.3	15.6	100
2024	388	26.1	14.8	100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Nichols Middle School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$9,431
2018	$9,229
2019	$10,614
2020	$9,486
2021	$10,327
2022	$11,933

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Nichols Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 249^th of 264 Middle schools	Ranks 205^th of 243 Middle schools	10%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Nichols Middle School)	12.8	15.7	2.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Canton Public School District)	19.5	23.7	4.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	33.6	41	7.4%
6th Grade Mathematics (Nichols Middle School)	20.2	48.8	28.6%
6th Grade Mathematics (Canton Public School District)	30	37.5	7.5%
6th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	47.6	45.2	2.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Nichols Middle School)	12.1	22	9.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Canton Public School District)	14.5	23.7	9.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	39	38.4	0.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Nichols Middle School)	20.7	59.1	38.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Canton Public School District)	26.1	52.5	26.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	51.1	46.1	5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Nichols Middle School)	14.1	25.6	11.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Canton Public School District)	14.9	29.1	14.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	35.5	40.5	5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Nichols Middle School)	17.9	15.9	2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Canton Public School District)	29.4	32.2	2.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	44.8	46.1	1.3%
8th Grade Science (Nichols Middle School)	15.1	37.7	22.6%
8th Grade Science (Canton Public School District)	24.1	40.7	16.6%
8th Grade Science (Mississippi)	52.7	53.3	0.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	380	396	4.2%
African American	334	339	1.5%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	3	0	100%
Hispanic	43	52	20.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	0	2
Two or More Races	0	3
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Nichols Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MAAP English Language Arts (2024)				MAAP Mathematics (2024)				MAAP Algebra I (2024)	MAAP Science (2024)		MAAP Biology (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MAAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MAAP Algebra I End of Course	MAAP Science 5th Grade	MAAP Science 8th Grade	MAAP Biology End of Course	Total
Nichols Middle School	Public	6-8	529 North Mace Street	Canton	39046	Madison County	Canton Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 859-3741	388	26	14.8	100.0%	3 (0.8%)	327 (84.3%)	53 (13.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	12	243^rd of 264 public middle schools	8.0%		18.8	205^th of 243 public middle schools	15.6%	38		21.6	25.7	13.2		26.4	23.6	22.8			36.0		$11,933
Huey L. Porter Middle School	Public	6-8	551 Finney Road	Canton	39046	Madison County	Canton Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 407-1815	376	22	17.0	100.0%	2 (0.5%)	308 (81.9%)	63 (16.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	35.5	169^th of 264 public middle schools	36.0%		48.4	118^th of 243 public middle schools	51.4%	51		27.6	29.2	33.6		47.0	58.7	45.6			35.2		$11,829
Germantown Middle School	Public	6-8	439 Calhoun Station Parkway	Madison	39110	Madison County	Madison County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 859-0376	1,033	68	15.1	27.7%	563 (54.5%)	380 (36.8%)	25 (2.4%)	38 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	25 (2.4%)	88.1	25^th of 264 public middle schools	90.5%		90.7	13^th of 243 public middle schools	94.7%	12		61.6	66.6	62.2		58.0	84.7	73.7	100.0		72.6	100.0	$9,846
Madison Middle School	Public	6-8	1365 Mannsdale Road	Madison	39110	Madison County	Madison County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 605-4171	1,146	96	11.9	23.5%	719 (62.7%)	282 (24.6%)	27 (2.4%)	92 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (2.3%)	97.4	1^st of 264 public middle schools	99.6%		95.9	4^th of 243 public middle schools	98.4%	3		72.4	73.6	73.9		82.2	86.9	90.8	100.0		88.9	100.0	$11,430
Old Town Middle	Public	6-8	210 Sunnybrook Road	Ridgeland	39157	Madison County	Madison County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 898-8730	686	57	12.1	74.1%	52 (7.6%)	450 (65.6%)	148 (21.6%)	17 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (2.8%)								(n/a)													$11,902
Shirley D. Simmons Middle School	Public	6-8	820 Sulphur Springs Road	Canton	39046	Madison County	Madison County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 855-2406	139	19	7.4	96.4%	1 (0.7%)	136 (97.8%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	66.5	82^nd of 264 public middle schools	68.9%		55.4	101^st of 243 public middle schools	58.4%	19		54.1	53.9	27.1		85.4	53.8	60.5			58.3		$20,300
Kirksey Middle School	Public	6-8	5677 Highland Dr	Jackson	39206	Hinds County	Jackson Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 987-8360	236	22	10.9	100.0%	1 (0.4%)	230 (97.5%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	27.2	190^th of 264 public middle schools	28.0%		18.9	204^th of 243 public middle schools	16.0%	14		24.1	25.0	30.0		34.5	46.5	47.1	100.0		42.2		$16,882
Northwest Rankin Middle School	Public	6-8	One Paw Print Place	Flowood	39232	Rankin County	Rankin County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 992-1329	1,375	106	12.9	35.9%	734 (53.4%)	431 (31.3%)	31 (2.3%)	45 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	134 (9.7%)	83.4	35^th of 264 public middle schools	86.7%		87.1	26^th of 243 public middle schools	89.3%	9		56.2	58.6	53.2		74.4	78.1	63.6	100.0		62.5		$10,247
Chastain Middle School	Public	6-8	4650 Manhattan Road	Jackson	39206	Hinds County	Jackson Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 987-3550	483	47	10.3	100.0%	4 (0.8%)	435 (90.1%)	35 (7.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.9%)	6.9	254^th of 264 public middle schools	3.8%		16.3	214^th of 243 public middle schools	11.9%	40		12.9	20.7	15.0		17.2	24.5	15.8			24.2		$15,321
Joel E. Smilow Prep	Public, Charter	5-8	787 E. Northside Drive	Jackson	39206	Hinds County	Joel E. Smillow Prep	Yes	No	No	Yes	(769) 524-5330	564	33	16.9	100.0%	2 (0.4%)	557 (98.8%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	24.8	197^th of 264 public middle schools	25.4%		18.2	208^th of 243 public middle schools	14.4%	11	35.2	18.8	24.3	30.7	34.5	10.4	37.3	57.3		67.3	47.6		$11,532

Frequently Asked Questions about Nichols Middle School

How many students attend Nichols Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 388 students attended Nichols Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Nichols Middle School attend?

Students who attend Nichols Middle School usually go on to attend Canton Public High School

What district is Nichols Middle School in?

Canton Public School District

Is Nichols Middle School a good school?

Nichols Middle School ranks in the bottom 8.0% of Mississippi middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of Nichols Middle School?

Students at Nichols Middle School are 84% African American, 14% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Mississippi Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.