Powell Middle School

Summary:

Powell Middle School is a public middle school located in Jackson, Mississippi, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 320 students. The school is part of the Jackson Public School District, which is ranked 110 out of 130 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Powell Middle School has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (98.12%) compared to the state and surrounding schools, such as Peeples Middle School and Blackburn Middle School. The school consistently ranks among the lowest-performing middle schools in Mississippi, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science that are significantly lower than the state and district averages. Additionally, Powell Middle School has an extremely high percentage of students (100%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Despite having a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 9.7 to 14.4 over the past few years, Powell Middle School's persistent low performance suggests a need for significant interventions and support to improve academic outcomes. The stark contrast in performance between Powell Middle School and nearby schools in the Jackson Public School District raises questions about equity and access to quality education for students of color in the district.

Detail:

Public 6-8

3655 Livingston Road
Jackson, MS 39213

(601) 987-3580

District: Jackson Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
262^nd of 264 Mississippi Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,619

Students who attend Powell Middle School usually attend:

High:

Callaway High School

Feeder schools for Powell Middle School:

Elementary:	Dawson Elementary School
	Green Elementary School
	John Hopkins Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.3

Number of students: 372

Racial breakdown:

African American:

97.3%

Hispanic:

1.1%

White:

0.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Powell Middle School ranks worse than 99.2% of middle schools in Mississippi. It also ranks 7^th among 9 ranked middle schools in the Jackson Public School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 3.6. (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 (97.3%), Hispanic (1.1%), two or more races (0.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Jackson Public School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Powell Middle School is 10.3. 5 middle schools in the Jackson Public School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Powell Middle School employs 35.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Powell Middle School is $15,619. 4 middle schools in the Jackson Public School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Powell Middle School 262^nd of 264 Mississippi public middle schools. (See Powell Middle School in the ranking list.)

Jackson Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Jackson Public School District 110^th of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Powell Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MS State Percentile
2008	29.60	184^th	244	24.6%
2009	18.54	204^th	247	17.4%
2010	22.28	215^th	255	15.7%
2011	27.08	219^th	264	17.0%
2012	22.09	223^rd	270	17.4%
2013	7.28	262^nd	269	2.6%
2014	11.80	248^th	264	6.1%
2015	8.23	262^nd	266	1.5%
2016	11.27	243^rd	260	6.5%
2017	7.59	262^nd	272	3.7%
2018	6.59	244^th	252	3.2%
2019	4.26	263^rd	264	0.4%
2021	6.22	252^nd	257	1.9%
2022	4.69	255^th	257	0.8%
2023	5.41	241^st	243	0.8%
2024	3.60	262^nd	264	0.8%

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 Powell Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1990	0	816	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	816
1991	0	889	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	889
1992	0	902	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	902
1993	0	900	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	900
1994	0	944	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	944
1995	1	768	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	770
1996	1	768	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	770
1997	0	781	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	781
1998	0	793	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	793
1999	0	790	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	791
2000	0	744	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	744
2001	0	764	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	764
2002	3	979	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	983
2003	3	979	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	983
2004	1	969	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	971
2005	0	915	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	915
2006	0	976	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	976
2007	0	878	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	878
2008	0	884	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	885
2009	0	885	1	0	0	0	0	886
2010	0	850	1	0	0	0	0	851
2011	1	619	0	0	0	0	0	620
2012	1	633	0	0	0	0	2	636
2013	2	472	0	0	0	0	3	477
2014	1	508	0	1	0	0	2	512
2015	1	544	0	2	0	0	1	548
2016	0	515	0	0	0	0	1	516
2017	0	488	0	0	0	0	3	491
2018	1	407	0	0	0	0	1	409
2019	0	431	0	2	0	0	1	434
2020	1	434	0	3	0	0	2	440
2021	0	416	0	4	0	0	7	427
2022	0	333	1	4	0	0	6	344
2023	1	314	0	1	0	0	4	320
2024	3	362	0	4	0	0	3	372

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 Powell Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	816	40.1	20.3	n/a
1991	889	50.3	17.6	n/a
1992	902	55.6	16.2	61.1
1993	900	54.2	16.6	63.4
1994	944	53.0	17.8	63.5
1995	770	49.2	15.7	64.7
1996	770	49.2	15.7	64.7
1997	781	49.9	15.7	69.7
1998	793	50.0	15.9	69.2
1999	791	50.4	15.7	77.9
2000	744	49.4	15.1	78.8
2001	764	46.1	16.6	81.2
2002	983	55.0	17.9	83.1
2003	983	55.0	17.9	83.1
2004	971	58.0	16.7	75.5
2005	915	48.6	18.8	73.4
2006	976	50.2	19.4	81.4
2007	878	51.9	16.9	83.9
2008	885	52.6	16.8	89.6
2009	886	51.6	17.2	88.4
2010	851	46.3	18.3	87.2
2011	620	43.4	14.2	91.9
2012	636	38.9	16.3	93.6
2013	477	31.6	15.0	95.6
2014	512	34.8	14.7	96.5
2015	548	34.0	16.1	100
2016	516	33.0	15.6	100
2017	491	31.9	15.3	100
2018	409	30.4	13.4	100
2019	434	33.8	12.8	100
2020	440	29.0	15.1	100
2021	427	29.5	14.4	100
2022	344	33.6	10.2	99.1
2023	320	32.7	9.7	100
2024	372	35.7	10.3	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 Powell Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	816	40.1	20.3	n/a
1991	889	50.3	17.6	n/a
1992	902	55.6	16.2	61.1
1993	900	54.2	16.6	63.4
1994	944	53.0	17.8	63.5
1995	770	49.2	15.7	64.7
1996	770	49.2	15.7	64.7
1997	781	49.9	15.7	69.7
1998	793	50.0	15.9	69.2
1999	791	50.4	15.7	77.9
2000	744	49.4	15.1	78.8
2001	764	46.1	16.6	81.2
2002	983	55.0	17.9	83.1
2003	983	55.0	17.9	83.1
2004	971	58.0	16.7	75.5
2005	915	48.6	18.8	73.4
2006	976	50.2	19.4	81.4
2007	878	51.9	16.9	83.9
2008	885	52.6	16.8	89.6
2009	886	51.6	17.2	88.4
2010	851	46.3	18.3	87.2
2011	620	43.4	14.2	91.9
2012	636	38.9	16.3	93.6
2013	477	31.6	15.0	95.6
2014	512	34.8	14.7	96.5
2015	548	34.0	16.1	100
2016	516	33.0	15.6	100
2017	491	31.9	15.3	100
2018	409	30.4	13.4	100
2019	434	33.8	12.8	100
2020	440	29.0	15.1	100
2021	427	29.5	14.4	100
2022	344	33.6	10.2	99.1
2023	320	32.7	9.7	100
2024	372	35.7	10.3	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 Powell Middle School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$9,232
2018	$11,137
2019	$10,614
2020	$11,391
2021	$13,737
2022	$15,619

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Powell 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 263^rd of 264 Middle schools	Ranks 241^st of 243 Middle schools	0.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Powell Middle School)	6.8	14.6	7.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Jackson Public School District)	17.5	24	6.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	33.6	40.3	6.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Powell Middle School)	10.3	8.3	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Jackson Public School District)	24.2	18.5	5.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	47.6	45.5	2.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Powell Middle School)	7.9	15.9	8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Jackson Public School District)	26.3	28.1	1.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	39	40.2	1.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Powell Middle School)	13.3	20.8	7.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Jackson Public School District)	29.6	32.5	2.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	51.1	55.6	4.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Powell Middle School)	5.2	11.2	6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Jackson Public School District)	18.3	26.5	8.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	35.5	40.5	5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Powell Middle School)	5.2	6.7	1.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Jackson Public School District)	19.5	20	0.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	44.8	46.1	1.3%
8th Grade Science (Powell Middle School)	17.2	20.9	3.7%
8th Grade Science (Jackson Public School District)	27.6	32.6	5%
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	434	320	26.3%
African American	431	314	27.1%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	2	1	50%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	0	1
Two or More Races	1	4	300%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Powell 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)		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	Total
Powell Middle School	Public	6-8	3655 Livingston Road	Jackson	39213	Hinds County	Jackson Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 987-3580	372	36	10.3	100.0%	3 (0.8%)	362 (97.3%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	3.6	262^nd of 264 public middle schools	0.8%		5.4	241^st of 243 public middle schools	0.8%	21		10.5	15.5	12.9		4.0	14.3	16.7			18.8	$15,619
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
Bailey Middle Apac School	Public	6-8	1900 N State Street	Jackson	39202	Hinds County	Jackson Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 987-5343	267	26	10.1	100.0%	17 (6.4%)	239 (89.5%)	3 (1.1%)	4 (1.5%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.1%)	89	23^rd of 264 public middle schools	91.3%		91.1	12^th of 243 public middle schools	95.1%	11		57.1	64.8	70.0		73.6	71.7	63.8	100.0		82.5	$15,190
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
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
Northwest Middle School	Public	6-8	7020 Highway 49 N	Jackson	39213	Hinds County	Jackson Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 987-3609	219	22	10.1	100.0%	1 (0.5%)	208 (95.0%)	8 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	89.3	20^th of 264 public middle schools	92.4%		91.9	9^th of 243 public middle schools	96.3%	11		68.6	94.2	65.7		78.6	91.2	57.9	100.0		67.2	$20,269
Blackburn Middle School	Public	6-8	1311 W Pearl Street	Jackson	39203	Hinds County	Jackson Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 960-5329	495	49	10.0	100.0%	3 (0.6%)	482 (97.4%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.0%)	4.1	261^st of 264 public middle schools	1.1%		6.3	238^th of 243 public middle schools	2.1%	23		9.3	9.5	17.0		8.0	16.7	18.4			24.1	$13,813
Reimagine Prep	Public, Charter	5-8	309 W McDowell Rd	Jackson	39212	Hinds County	Reimagine Prep	Yes	No	No	Yes	(601) 941-0844	525	33	16.1	100.0%	2 (0.4%)	513 (97.7%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	23.9	203^rd of 264 public middle schools	23.1%		16.2	215^th of 243 public middle schools	11.5%	12	25.0	19.0	23.3	31.9	7.6	24.6	44.8	33.9		46.2	53.5	$14,041
Peeples Middle School	Public	6-8	2940 Belvedere Drive	Jackson	39212	Hinds County	Jackson Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 346-5660	273	27	9.9	100.0%	3 (1.1%)	266 (97.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.1%)	2.4	264^th of 264 public middle schools	0.0%					(n/a)		8.0	8.2	9.1		5.3	13.9	13.9			16.7	$16,823
Clinton Junior High School	Public	7-8	711 Lakeview Drive	Clinton	39056	Hinds County	Clinton Public School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 924-0619	872	58	15.0	42.4%	307 (35.2%)	478 (54.8%)	18 (2.1%)	48 (5.5%)	4 (0.5%)	4 (0.5%)	13 (1.5%)	92.4	11^th of 264 public middle schools	95.8%		92.9	8^th of 243 public middle schools	96.7%	3			63.6	58.1			82.0	85.0	100.0		74.3	$8,582

Frequently Asked Questions about Powell Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Powell Middle School?

Students at Powell Middle School are 97% African American, 1% Hispanic.

Is Powell Middle School a good school?

Powell Middle School ranks in the bottom 0.8% of Mississippi middle schools.

What district is Powell Middle School in?

Jackson Public School District

How many students attend Powell Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 372 students attended Powell Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Powell Middle School attend?

Students who attend Powell Middle School usually go on to attend Callaway High School

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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.