Meridian High School

Summary:

Meridian High School is a public high school in Meridian, Mississippi, serving 1,301 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Meridian Public Schools district, which is ranked 117 out of 130 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Meridian High School stands out for several key reasons. It has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (over 93%) compared to the surrounding schools, which have more diverse racial compositions. Academically, the school consistently underperforms the state and district averages on standardized test scores across all subject areas, with proficiency rates ranging from 27.8% to 34.7%, while the state averages were 46.2% to 70.8%. As a result, Meridian High School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Mississippi high schools, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past two school years, placing it among the lowest-performing high schools in the state. Additionally, the school has a 100% free and reduced lunch rate, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among its student population.

In comparison, the nearby Enterprise High School, West Lauderdale High School, and Clarkdale High School significantly outperform Meridian High School on academic measures, with proficiency rates that are often double or triple Meridian's. These schools also have higher rankings and ratings from SchoolDigger. Despite the higher spending per student at Meridian High School compared to nearby schools, the academic performance remains significantly lower, raising questions about the effective allocation and utilization of resources to support student learning.

Detail:

Public 9-12

2320 32nd Street
Meridian, MS 39305

(601) 482-3191

District: Meridian Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
218^th of 228 Mississippi High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,278

Student/teacher ratio: 14.2

Number of students: 1,301

Racial breakdown:

African American:

93.0%

White:

3.5%

Hispanic:

2.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Meridian High School ranks worse than 95.6% of high schools in Mississippi. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.62. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Meridian High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 (93%), White (3.5%), Hispanic (2.8%). (See more...)

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

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Meridian High School is 14.2. (See more...)

Compare Meridian High School employs 91.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Meridian High School is $16,278.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Meridian High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Meridian High School 218^th of 228 Mississippi public high schools. (See Meridian High School in the ranking list.)

Meridian Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Meridian Public Schools 117^th of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Meridian High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MS State Percentile
2004	18.88	211^th	232	9.1%
2005	19.82	211^th	232	9.1%
2006	21.96	210^th	232	9.5%
2007	35.48	173^rd	232	25.4%
2008	41.63	153^rd	235	34.9%
2009	32.11	170^th	235	27.7%
2010	28.34	182^nd	235	22.6%
2011	10.02	234^th	244	4.1%
2012	34.32	172^nd	241	28.6%
2013	21.46	196^th	238	17.6%
2014	40.11	145^th	236	38.6%
2015	31.89	148^th	226	34.5%
2016	12.03	208^th	231	10.0%
2017	12.16	212^th	237	10.5%
2018	11.99	210^th	233	9.9%
2019	15.95	197^th	233	15.5%
2021	17.05	188^th	231	18.6%
2022	18.82	191^st	228	16.2%
2023	8.96	217^th	226	4.0%
2024	7.62	218^th	228	4.4%

See the entire list of Mississippi High 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 Meridian High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1990	603	944	12	4	1	n/a	n/a	1564
1991	568	924	17	3	0	n/a	n/a	1512
1992	596	880	12	9	2	n/a	n/a	1499
1993	598	892	5	3	0	n/a	n/a	1498
1994	542	916	3	8	0	n/a	n/a	1469
1995	433	933	11	3	0	n/a	n/a	1380
1996	433	933	11	3	0	n/a	n/a	1380
1997	442	902	8	5	0	n/a	n/a	1357
1998	407	908	6	5	1	n/a	n/a	1327
1999	403	967	3	2	1	n/a	n/a	1376
2000	391	1037	9	6	5	n/a	n/a	1448
2001	386	1045	8	8	1	n/a	n/a	1448
2002	346	939	7	3	1	n/a	n/a	1296
2003	346	939	7	3	1	n/a	n/a	1296
2004	277	899	8	3	1	n/a	n/a	1188
2005	233	910	10	5	0	n/a	n/a	1158
2006	227	975	7	8	2	n/a	n/a	1219
2007	219	1006	10	9	1	n/a	n/a	1245
2008	194	1016	11	9	1	n/a	n/a	1231
2009	187	1045	12	6	0	0	0	1250
2010	191	1463	17	11	1	0	0	1683
2011	191	1469	11	16	1	0	1	1689
2012	164	1437	13	15	0	0	1	1630
2013	169	1357	17	16	1	0	1	1561
2014	150	1291	16	31	1	0	1	1490
2015	120	1288	14	36	0	0	0	1458
2016	101	1337	9	24	0	0	0	1471
2017	77	1318	7	23	0	0	0	1425
2018	67	1337	11	18	0	0	2	1435
2019	49	1252	9	19	1	2	0	1332
2020	57	1200	8	23	1	2	0	1291
2021	45	1195	7	26	0	2	5	1280
2022	52	1218	2	29	1	2	4	1308
2023	45	1210	3	37	0	0	6	1301

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 Meridian High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	1564	95.2	16.4	n/a
1991	1512	93.5	16.1	n/a
1992	1499	76.5	19.5	57.1
1993	1498	92.7	16.2	57.1
1994	1469	94.8	15.5	58.2
1995	1380	72.6	19.0	59.3
1996	1380	72.6	19.0	59.3
1997	1357	72.7	18.7	58.4
1998	1327	70.4	18.8	63.2
1999	1376	74.6	18.4	68
2000	1448	76.5	18.9	69.8
2001	1448	73.2	19.8	74.9
2002	1296	67.2	19.3	78.4
2003	1296	67.2	19.3	78.4
2004	1188	78.8	15.1	59.3
2005	1158	73.7	15.7	61.1
2006	1219	73.9	16.5	63.9
2007	1245	72.5	17.2	69.4
2008	1231	83.6	14.7	66.5
2009	1250	93.2	13.4	72.6
2010	1683	126.3	13.3	78.3
2011	1689	107.9	15.6	79
2012	1630	100.1	16.2	82
2013	1561	103.7	15.0	81.7
2014	1490	94.8	15.7	80.5
2015	1458	93.0	15.6	100
2016	1471	81.0	18.1	100
2017	1425	79.4	17.9	100
2018	1435	82.4	17.3	100
2019	1332	88.3	15.0	100
2020	1291	89.5	14.4	100
2021	1280	100.9	12.6	100
2022	1308	88.5	14.7	100
2023	1301	91.4	14.2	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 Meridian High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	1564	95.2	16.4	n/a
1991	1512	93.5	16.1	n/a
1992	1499	76.5	19.5	57.1
1993	1498	92.7	16.2	57.1
1994	1469	94.8	15.5	58.2
1995	1380	72.6	19.0	59.3
1996	1380	72.6	19.0	59.3
1997	1357	72.7	18.7	58.4
1998	1327	70.4	18.8	63.2
1999	1376	74.6	18.4	68
2000	1448	76.5	18.9	69.8
2001	1448	73.2	19.8	74.9
2002	1296	67.2	19.3	78.4
2003	1296	67.2	19.3	78.4
2004	1188	78.8	15.1	59.3
2005	1158	73.7	15.7	61.1
2006	1219	73.9	16.5	63.9
2007	1245	72.5	17.2	69.4
2008	1231	83.6	14.7	66.5
2009	1250	93.2	13.4	72.6
2010	1683	126.3	13.3	78.3
2011	1689	107.9	15.6	79
2012	1630	100.1	16.2	82
2013	1561	103.7	15.0	81.7
2014	1490	94.8	15.7	80.5
2015	1458	93.0	15.6	100
2016	1471	81.0	18.1	100
2017	1425	79.4	17.9	100
2018	1435	82.4	17.3	100
2019	1332	88.3	15.0	100
2020	1291	89.5	14.4	100
2021	1280	100.9	12.6	100
2022	1308	88.5	14.7	100
2023	1301	91.4	14.2	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 Meridian High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$10,627
2018	$12,052
2019	$11,646
2020	$13,615
2021	$14,456
2022	$16,278

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Meridian High 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 197^th of 233 High schools	Ranks 217^th of 226 High schools	11.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Algebra I (Meridian High School)	25.7	38.4	12.7%
End of Course Algebra I (Meridian Public Schools)	37.5	38.4	0.9%
End of Course Algebra I (Mississippi)	49.3	65.8	16.5%
End of Course English II (Meridian High School)	24.6	25.8	1.2%
End of Course English II (Meridian Public Schools)	24.6	25.8	1.2%
End of Course English II (Mississippi)	43.9	50.1	6.2%
End of Course Biology (Meridian High School)	33.8	26	7.8%
End of Course Biology (Meridian Public Schools)	33.8	26	7.8%
End of Course Biology (Mississippi)	57.2	60.9	3.7%
End of Course U.S. History1 (Meridian High School)	39.8	52.7	12.9%
End of Course U.S. History1 (Meridian Public Schools)	39.8	52.7	12.9%
End of Course U.S. History1 (Mississippi)	55.5	71.4	15.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1332	1301	2.3%
African American	1252	1210	3.4%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	9	3	66.7%
Hispanic	19	37	94.7%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	49	45	8.2%
Two or More Races	0	6
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Meridian High 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 English II (2024)	MAAP Science (2024)	MAAP Biology (2024)	MAAP U.S. History1 (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 7th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MAAP Algebra I End of Course	MAAP English II End of Course	MAAP Science 8th Grade	MAAP Biology End of Course	MAAP U.S. History1 End of Course	Total
Meridian High School	Public	9-12	2320 32nd Street	Meridian	39305	Lauderdale County	Meridian Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 482-3191	1,301	91	14.2	100.0%	45 (3.5%)	1,210 (93.0%)	37 (2.8%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.5%)	7.6	218^th of 228 public high schools	4.4%		9	217^th of 226 public high schools	4.0%	1					29.9	30.3		27.8	34.7	$16,278
Ross Collins Vocational Center	Public	9-12	2640 24th Ave	Meridian	39305	Lauderdale County	Meridian Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(601) 483-3331	0	13	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Lcsd Cte Center	Public	9-12	412 Highway 11 & 80	Meridian	39301	Lauderdale County	Lauderdale County School District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(601) 693-1683	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Northeast Lauderdale High School	Public	9-12	702 Briarwood Road	Meridian	39305	Lauderdale County	Lauderdale County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 679-8523	642	49	13.0	99.5%	229 (35.7%)	356 (55.5%)	25 (3.9%)	19 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	12 (1.9%)	50.3	123^rd of 228 public high schools	46.1%		51.3	116^th of 226 public high schools	48.7%	7					74.1	42.9		65.0	61.8	$11,305
Southeast Lauderdale High School	Public	9-12	2362 Longcreek Raod	Meridian	39301	Lauderdale County	Lauderdale County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 483-5501	396	30	13.3	99.2%	226 (57.1%)	147 (37.1%)	14 (3.5%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.5%)	61	93^rd of 228 public high schools	59.2%		56.2	102^nd of 226 public high schools	54.9%	9					64.2	48.9		67.2	76.6	$12,772
Clarkdale High School	Public	7-12	7000 Highway 145	Meridian	39301	Lauderdale County	Lauderdale County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 693-4463	419	36	11.6	99.3%	358 (85.4%)	41 (9.8%)	10 (2.4%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.7%)	82.8	23^rd of 228 public high schools	89.9%		77.4	38^th of 226 public high schools	83.2%	15	65.1	60.0	74.6	77.0	89.7	67.8	81.6	79.1	77.4	$14,010
West Lauderdale High School	Public	9-12	9916 West Lauderdale Road	Collinsville	39325	Lauderdale County	Lauderdale County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 737-2277	589	39	15.0	99.5%	455 (77.2%)	103 (17.5%)	17 (2.9%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.7%)	77.5	44^th of 228 public high schools	80.7%		84.4	17^th of 226 public high schools	92.5%	27					80.0	54.1		71.3	88.5	$10,115
Enterprise High School	Public	9-12	501 River Road	Enterprise	39330	Clarke County	Enterprise School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 659-4435	296	25	12.0	99.0%	262 (88.5%)	30 (10.1%)	2 (0.7%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	85.8	12^th of 228 public high schools	94.7%		86.8	10^th of 226 public high schools	95.6%	2					90.7	64.3		82.1	81.2	$12,918

Frequently Asked Questions about Meridian High School

Is Meridian High School a good school?

Meridian High School ranks in the bottom 4.4% of Mississippi high schools.

What schools feed into Meridian High School?

Meridian High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Crestwood Elementary School
Elementary : Parkview Elementary School
Elementary : Poplar Springs Elementary School
Elementary : West Hills Elementary School
Middle : Magnolia Middle School
Middle : Northwest Junior High School

What is the racial makeup of Meridian High School?

Students at Meridian High School are 93% African American, 3% White, 3% Hispanic.

What district is Meridian High School in?

Meridian Public Schools

How many students attend Meridian High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,301 students attended Meridian High School.

Rate Meridian High School!

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Schools in Meridian, MS

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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.