Northwest Middle School

Summary:

Northwest Middle School is a public middle school in Jackson, Mississippi, serving 206 students in grades 6-8. 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.

Despite the challenges faced by the broader district, Northwest Middle School consistently outperforms the district and the state of Mississippi in academic assessments. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school had significantly higher proficiency rates in MAAP (Mississippi Academic Assessment Program) tests across all grade levels and subjects compared to the district and state averages. For example, in 8th grade Math, 57.9% of Northwest Middle School students were proficient or better, compared to 25.1% in the district and 55.3% statewide. The school has also maintained a strong track record of high statewide rankings, consistently placing in the top 30 middle schools in Mississippi over the past decade and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Northwest Middle School's student population is predominantly African American, with over 96% of students identifying as such in the 2022-2023 school year. This is significantly higher than the racial diversity of nearby schools, such as Chastain Middle School (91.58% African American) and Old Town Middle (66.05% African American). Additionally, Northwest Middle School has a 100% free and reduced lunch rate, indicating that all students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, which is consistent with the other schools in the Jackson Public School District.

Detail:

Public 6-8

7020 Highway 49 N
Jackson, MS 39213

(601) 987-3609

District: Jackson Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
20^th of 264 Mississippi Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $20,269

Student/teacher ratio: 10.1

Number of students: 219

Racial breakdown:

African American:

95.0%

Hispanic:

3.7%

Two or more races:

0.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Northwest Middle School ranks better than 92.4% of middle schools in Mississippi. It also ranks first among 9 ranked middle schools in the Jackson Public School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 89.35. (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 Northwest Middle School has the smallest middle school student body size in the Jackson Public School District. Racial makeup is: African American (95%), Hispanic (3.7%), two or more races (0.9%). (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 Northwest Middle School is 10.1, which is the 3^rd best among 9 middle schools in the Jackson Public School District. (See more...)

Compare Northwest Middle School employs 21.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northwest Middle School is $20,269, which is the highest among 9 middle schools in the Jackson Public School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Northwest Middle School 20^th of 264 Mississippi public middle schools. (See Northwest 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.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Northwest Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MS State Percentile
2008	31.55	178^th	244	27.0%
2009	38.09	165^th	247	33.2%
2010	30.05	196^th	255	23.1%
2011	30.51	210^th	264	20.5%
2012	29.16	203^rd	270	24.8%
2013	96.44	1^st	269	99.6%
2014	97.82	1^st	264	99.6%
2015	96.28	7^th	266	97.4%
2016	88.19	21^st	260	91.9%
2017	84.27	36^th	272	86.8%
2018	78.13	48^th	252	81.0%
2019	90.19	15^th	264	94.3%
2021	68.26	79^th	257	69.3%
2022	76.85	51^st	257	80.2%
2023	91.91	9^th	243	96.3%
2024	89.35	20^th	264	92.4%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Northwest Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1990	2	791	0	0	n/a	n/a	793
1991	1	840	0	0	n/a	n/a	841
1992	1	840	0	0	n/a	n/a	841
1993	1	880	0	0	n/a	n/a	881
1994	0	851	0	0	n/a	n/a	851
1995	1	895	1	0	n/a	n/a	897
1996	1	895	1	0	n/a	n/a	897
1997	0	848	1	0	n/a	n/a	849
1998	0	839	2	0	n/a	n/a	841
1999	0	751	2	0	n/a	n/a	753
2000	0	774	0	0	n/a	n/a	774
2001	3	724	0	0	n/a	n/a	727
2002	0	740	0	0	n/a	n/a	740
2003	0	740	0	0	n/a	n/a	740
2004	0	677	0	0	n/a	n/a	677
2005	0	650	0	0	n/a	n/a	650
2006	0	671	0	0	n/a	n/a	671
2007	2	713	0	0	n/a	n/a	715
2008	0	750	0	0	n/a	n/a	750
2009	0	719	0	0	0	0	719
2010	5	666	0	0	0	0	671
2011	7	646	0	0	0	0	653
2012	7	600	0	1	0	2	610
2014	2	331	0	1	0	1	335
2015	2	347	1	1	0	1	352
2016	3	382	3	1	0	3	392
2017	3	415	4	2	0	2	426
2018	0	382	2	1	0	3	388
2019	2	316	9	0	0	2	329
2020	2	292	10	1	0	3	308
2021	0	294	11	0	0	3	308
2022	1	233	7	0	0	3	244
2023	1	198	5	0	0	2	206
2024	1	208	8	0	0	2	219

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 Northwest Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	793	39.9	19.8	n/a
1991	841	45.1	18.6	n/a
1992	841	47.0	17.8	61.2
1993	881	46.1	19.1	63.3
1994	851	47.4	18.0	63.5
1995	897	51.5	17.4	64.7
1996	897	51.5	17.4	64.7
1997	849	49.9	17.0	69.7
1998	841	52.3	16.1	69.2
1999	753	47.4	15.9	78
2000	774	51.0	15.2	78.7
2001	727	48.7	14.9	81.2
2002	740	46.4	15.9	83.1
2003	740	46.4	15.9	83.1
2004	677	42.0	16.1	84.5
2005	650	38.9	16.7	69.1
2006	671	35.6	18.8	85.8
2007	715	38.8	18.4	85.9
2008	750	39.0	19.2	83.9
2009	719	44.1	16.3	87.5
2010	671	40.4	16.6	88.7
2011	653	37.6	17.3	90.4
2012	610	38.0	16.0	93.6
2014	335	25.2	13.2	85.4
2015	352	30.0	11.7	100
2016	392	28.0	14.0	100
2017	426	29.7	14.3	100
2018	388	28.0	13.8	100
2019	329	29.4	11.1	100
2020	308	28.8	10.6	100
2021	308	29.1	10.5	100
2022	244	27.5	8.8	100
2023	206	22.7	9.0	100
2024	219	21.6	10.1	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 Northwest Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	793	39.9	19.8	n/a
1991	841	45.1	18.6	n/a
1992	841	47.0	17.8	61.2
1993	881	46.1	19.1	63.3
1994	851	47.4	18.0	63.5
1995	897	51.5	17.4	64.7
1996	897	51.5	17.4	64.7
1997	849	49.9	17.0	69.7
1998	841	52.3	16.1	69.2
1999	753	47.4	15.9	78
2000	774	51.0	15.2	78.7
2001	727	48.7	14.9	81.2
2002	740	46.4	15.9	83.1
2003	740	46.4	15.9	83.1
2004	677	42.0	16.1	84.5
2005	650	38.9	16.7	69.1
2006	671	35.6	18.8	85.8
2007	715	38.8	18.4	85.9
2008	750	39.0	19.2	83.9
2009	719	44.1	16.3	87.5
2010	671	40.4	16.6	88.7
2011	653	37.6	17.3	90.4
2012	610	38.0	16.0	93.6
2014	335	25.2	13.2	85.4
2015	352	30.0	11.7	100
2016	392	28.0	14.0	100
2017	426	29.7	14.3	100
2018	388	28.0	13.8	100
2019	329	29.4	11.1	100
2020	308	28.8	10.6	100
2021	308	29.1	10.5	100
2022	244	27.5	8.8	100
2023	206	22.7	9.0	100
2024	219	21.6	10.1	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 Northwest Middle School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$10,872
2018	$12,362
2019	$12,567
2020	$13,510
2021	$18,383
2022	$20,269

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Northwest 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 15^th of 264 Middle schools	Ranks 9^th of 243 Middle schools	2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Northwest Middle School)	52.2	91.6	39.4%
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 (Northwest Middle School)	60.8	80	19.2%
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 (Northwest Middle School)	67.6	74.3	6.7%
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 (Northwest Middle School)	82.4	93.9	11.5%
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 (Northwest Middle School)	56.8	75.6	18.8%
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 (Northwest Middle School)	60	50	10%
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 (Northwest Middle School)	71.6	70.3	1.3%
8th Grade Science (Jackson Public School District)	27.6	32.6	5%
8th Grade Science (Mississippi)	52.7	53.3	0.6%
End of Course Algebra I (Northwest Middle School)	66.7	91.1	24.4%
End of Course Algebra I (Jackson Public School District)	15.9	48.3	32.4%
End of Course Algebra I (Mississippi)	49.3	65.8	16.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	329	206	37.4%
African American	316	198	37.3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	9	5	44.4%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	2	1	50%
Two or More Races	2	2
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Northwest 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Lovett Elementary School	Public	6	2002 W. Northside Drive	Clinton	39056	Hinds County	Clinton Public School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 924-5664	383	25	15.4	50.9%	113 (29.5%)	229 (59.8%)	12 (3.1%)	20 (5.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.1%)								(n/a)		61.6				75.9						$7,880
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
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
Cardozo Middle School	Public	6-8	3180 McDowell Rd Ext	Jackson	39204	Hinds County	Jackson Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 346-5635	573	51	11.3	100.0%	12 (2.1%)	534 (93.2%)	20 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.2%)	5	260^th of 264 public middle schools	1.5%		6.6	237^th of 243 public middle schools	2.5%	23		14.0	16.2	12.8		14.6	19.8	14.6			18.1	$14,217

Frequently Asked Questions about Northwest Middle School

How many students attend Northwest Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 219 students attended Northwest Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Northwest Middle School?

Students at Northwest Middle School are 95% African American, 4% Hispanic.

What district is Northwest Middle School in?

Jackson Public School District

Is Northwest Middle School a good school?

Yes. Northwest Middle School ranks in the top 7.6% of Mississippi middle schools.

Rate Northwest Middle 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.