Petal Middle School

Summary:

Petal Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 7-8 in the Petal School District in Petal, Mississippi, with a student population of 745. This highly-rated school consistently ranks among the top middle schools in the state, outperforming the state averages in academic assessments and offering a diverse and supportive learning environment.

Petal Middle School's academic performance is exceptional, with students significantly outperforming the state averages in MAAP (Mississippi Academic Assessment Program) tests across all subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 62.3% of 7th graders and 60.2% of 8th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state averages of 40.8% and 42% respectively. In mathematics, 81.3% of 7th graders and 81.2% of 8th graders were proficient or better, compared to the state averages of 57.2% and 55.3%. This consistent academic excellence has earned Petal Middle School a ranking as high as 5th out of 257 middle schools in the state.

Despite serving a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, with 99.6% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, Petal Middle School has a more diverse student population compared to many of the surrounding schools, such as Purvis Middle School, Perry Central Middle School, and Sumrall Middle School, which have student populations that are over 80% White. This suggests that Petal Middle School is providing equitable educational opportunities to students of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Additionally, the school's low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 12 to 15.3 students per teacher, may be a contributing factor to its academic success.

Detail:

Public 7-8

203 East Central Avenue
Petal, MS 39465

(601) 584-6301

District: Petal School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
9^th of 264 Mississippi Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,366

Students who attend Petal Middle School usually attend:

High:

Petal High School

Feeder schools for Petal Middle School:

Elementary:	Petal Elementary
	Petal Primary School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.1

Number of students: 680

Racial breakdown:

White:

69.6%

African American:

17.6%

Two or more races:

6.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 57.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Petal Middle School ranks better than 96.6% of middle schools in Mississippi. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.97. (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: White (69.6%), African American (17.6%), two or more races (6.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 57.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Petal Middle School is 13.1. (See more...)

Compare Petal Middle School employs 51.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Petal Middle School is $9,366.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Petal Middle School 9^th of 264 Mississippi public middle schools. (See Petal Middle School in the ranking list.)

Petal School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Petal School District 2^nd of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Petal Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MS State Percentile
2008	83.01	30^th	244	87.7%
2009	83.78	26^th	247	89.5%
2010	92.83	9^th	255	96.5%
2011	91.76	11^th	264	95.8%
2012	93.19	9^th	270	96.7%
2013	89.65	14^th	269	94.8%
2014	74.51	54^th	264	79.5%
2015	90.49	16^th	266	94.0%
2016	90.27	13^th	260	95.0%
2017	94.01	7^th	272	97.4%
2018	96.34	2^nd	252	99.2%
2019	94.18	7^th	264	97.3%
2021	95.49	5^th	257	98.1%
2022	93.95	8^th	257	96.9%
2023	89.52	19^th	243	92.2%
2024	92.97	9^th	264	96.6%

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:

by a citizen
Wednesday, November 13, 2019

I had to move from Oak Grove middle school to Petal Middle school in the middle of the year and it was so much better. The lunches were better, Electronic Devices actually worked, and the teachers were more willing to help. Petal middle school is a great school. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Petal Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1990	645	62	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	707
1991	665	59	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	724
1992	701	65	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	766
1993	732	76	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	811
1994	656	80	2	131	0	n/a	n/a	869
1995	764	60	3	0	2	n/a	n/a	829
1996	764	60	3	0	2	n/a	n/a	829
1997	774	71	3	1	1	n/a	n/a	850
1998	811	66	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	880
1999	806	88	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	898
2000	794	86	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	881
2001	745	79	2	3	1	n/a	n/a	830
2002	786	106	0	7	1	n/a	n/a	900
2003	786	106	0	7	1	n/a	n/a	900
2004	819	117	1	8	3	n/a	n/a	948
2005	800	110	2	8	3	n/a	n/a	923
2006	825	121	5	5	2	n/a	n/a	958
2007	801	124	4	11	2	n/a	n/a	942
2008	773	127	3	13	2	n/a	n/a	918
2009	512	94	2	10	1	0	0	619
2010	490	91	3	8	0	0	2	594
2011	492	81	3	16	0	0	6	598
2012	495	87	7	19	0	0	9	617
2013	511	104	7	16	0	1	7	646
2014	494	123	9	21	0	1	6	654
2015	501	114	7	23	1	0	6	652
2016	476	108	7	29	2	1	5	628
2017	470	95	8	32	2	2	16	625
2018	455	94	6	29	2	1	32	619
2019	409	111	7	28	2	1	30	588
2020	429	131	8	32	2	0	24	626
2021	500	136	5	39	1	0	31	712
2022	519	142	3	40	0	0	39	743
2023	501	140	1	54	0	0	49	745
2024	473	120	3	40	0	2	42	680

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 Petal Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	707	42.3	16.7	n/a
1991	724	44.6	16.2	n/a
1992	766	44.3	17.2	30.9
1993	811	48.1	16.9	34.3
1994	869	50.9	17.1	32.1
1995	829	53.2	15.6	31.1
1996	829	53.2	15.6	31.1
1997	850	54.0	15.7	29.9
1998	880	58.0	15.2	30.8
1999	898	56.7	15.8	41.8
2000	881	57.3	15.4	40.6
2001	830	57.5	14.4	41.7
2002	900	67.2	13.4	45.7
2003	900	67.2	13.4	45.7
2004	948	76.4	12.4	49.4
2005	923	73.8	12.5	50.2
2006	958	74.6	12.8	67
2007	942	74.5	12.6	50.7
2008	918	74.6	12.3	52.8
2009	619	59.3	10.4	50.7
2010	594	58.2	10.1	52.7
2011	598	56.4	10.5	52.8
2012	617	55.1	11.1	57.1
2013	646	60.3	10.7	58.8
2014	654	59.3	11.0	60.7
2015	652	54.0	12.0	63.2
2016	628	52.0	12.0	60.2
2017	625	53.1	11.7	56.6
2018	619	55.5	11.1	56.4
2019	588	53.7	10.9	59
2020	626	51.7	12.0	62
2021	712	58.9	12.0	99.6
2022	743	51.7	14.3	99.6
2023	745	48.3	15.3	99.6
2024	680	51.6	13.1	57.8

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 Petal Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	707	42.3	16.7	n/a
1991	724	44.6	16.2	n/a
1992	766	44.3	17.2	30.9
1993	811	48.1	16.9	34.3
1994	869	50.9	17.1	32.1
1995	829	53.2	15.6	31.1
1996	829	53.2	15.6	31.1
1997	850	54.0	15.7	29.9
1998	880	58.0	15.2	30.8
1999	898	56.7	15.8	41.8
2000	881	57.3	15.4	40.6
2001	830	57.5	14.4	41.7
2002	900	67.2	13.4	45.7
2003	900	67.2	13.4	45.7
2004	948	76.4	12.4	49.4
2005	923	73.8	12.5	50.2
2006	958	74.6	12.8	67
2007	942	74.5	12.6	50.7
2008	918	74.6	12.3	52.8
2009	619	59.3	10.4	50.7
2010	594	58.2	10.1	52.7
2011	598	56.4	10.5	52.8
2012	617	55.1	11.1	57.1
2013	646	60.3	10.7	58.8
2014	654	59.3	11.0	60.7
2015	652	54.0	12.0	63.2
2016	628	52.0	12.0	60.2
2017	625	53.1	11.7	56.6
2018	619	55.5	11.1	56.4
2019	588	53.7	10.9	59
2020	626	51.7	12.0	62
2021	712	58.9	12.0	99.6
2022	743	51.7	14.3	99.6
2023	745	48.3	15.3	99.6
2024	680	51.6	13.1	57.8

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 Petal Middle School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$8,239
2018	$8,621
2019	$8,802
2020	$8,706
2021	$8,479
2022	$9,366

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Petal 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 7^th of 264 Middle schools	Ranks 19^th of 243 Middle schools	5.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Petal Middle School)	58.6	62.9	4.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Petal School District)	58.6	62.9	4.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	39	40.2	1.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Petal Middle School)	80.5	84.6	4.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Petal School District)	80.5	84.6	4.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	51.1	55.6	4.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Petal Middle School)	61.9	49.2	12.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Petal School District)	61.9	49.2	12.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	35.5	40.5	5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Petal Middle School)	75.1	63.5	11.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Petal School District)	75.1	63.5	11.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	44.8	46.1	1.3%
8th Grade Science (Petal Middle School)	69.9	71.3	1.4%
8th Grade Science (Petal School District)	69.9	71.3	1.4%
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	588	745	26.7%
African American	111	140	26.1%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	7	1	85.7%
Hispanic	28	54	92.9%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	409	501	22.5%
Two or More Races	30	49	63.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	59%	99.6%	40.6%

Schools Near Petal 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
Petal Middle School	Public	7-8	203 East Central Avenue	Petal	39465	Forrest County	Petal School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 584-6301	680	52	13.1	57.8%	473 (69.6%)	120 (17.6%)	40 (5.9%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	42 (6.2%)	93	9^th of 264 public middle schools	96.6%		89.5	19^th of 243 public middle schools	92.2%	10			62.3	60.2			81.3	81.2			78.3	$9,366
Petal Upper Elementary School	Public	5-6	400 Hillcrest Loop	Petal	39465	Forrest County	Petal School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 584-7660	665	48	13.9	57.9%	476 (71.6%)	121 (18.2%)	31 (4.7%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	30 (4.5%)								(n/a)	69.8	58.3			71.0	71.9				77.6		$9,690
N R Burger Middle School	Public	7-8	174 Wsf Tatum Drive	Hattiesburg	39401	Forrest County	Hattiesburg Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 582-0536	533	51	10.4	100.0%	8 (1.5%)	454 (85.2%)	50 (9.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.8%)	46	143^rd of 264 public middle schools	45.8%		51	112^th of 243 public middle schools	53.9%	31			36.0	30.9			50.0	56.0			55.8	$14,390
Hattiesburg Steam Academy	Public	6	176 WSF Tatum Dr.	Hattiesburg	39401	Forrest County	Hattiesburg Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 582-5291	205	20	10.2	100.0%	4 (2.0%)	175 (85.4%)	20 (9.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.9%)								(n/a)		43.0				60.3						$12,649
Oak Grove Middle School	Public	6-8	2543 Old Hwy.24	Hattiesburg	39402	Forrest County	Lamar County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 264-4634	1,286	95	13.4	59.0%	483 (37.6%)	575 (44.7%)	96 (7.5%)	40 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.2%)	89 (6.9%)	75.5	56^th of 264 public middle schools	78.8%		80	43^rd of 243 public middle schools	82.3%	13		52.5	49.7	53.2		58.4	63.0	70.4	100.0		61.4	$9,983
Purvis Middle School	Public	6-8	213 School Street	Purvis	39475	Lamar County	Lamar County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 794-1068	407	31	13.1	56.3%	335 (82.3%)	42 (10.3%)	7 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.9%)	78.7	50^th of 264 public middle schools	81.1%		82.3	36^th of 243 public middle schools	85.2%	14		41.7	50.4	53.8		57.5	81.7	81.5			65.4	$10,833
Perry Central Middle School	Public	6-8	100 8th Ave. South	New Augusta	39462	Perry County	Perry County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 964-3226	203	18	11.5	71.4%	136 (67.0%)	58 (28.6%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.9%)	33.5	176^th of 264 public middle schools	33.3%		37.9	143^rd of 243 public middle schools	41.2%	33		28.8	28.8	31.8		45.8	50.0	39.4			46.9	$12,056
Sumrall Middle School	Public	6-8	1217 Highway 42	Sumrall	39482	Lamar County	Lamar County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 758-4416	482	34	14.3	37.8%	397 (82.4%)	43 (8.9%)	10 (2.1%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.0%)	90.3	17^th of 264 public middle schools	93.6%		86.9	27^th of 243 public middle schools	88.9%	10		54.8	66.9	67.1		70.8	77.7	74.0	100.0		76.4	$9,886

Frequently Asked Questions about Petal Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Petal Middle School?

Students at Petal Middle School are 70% White, 18% African American, 6% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic.

What district is Petal Middle School in?

Petal School District

What high school do graduates of Petal Middle School attend?

Students who attend Petal Middle School usually go on to attend Petal High School

Is Petal Middle School a good school?

Yes! Petal Middle School is one of the best middle schools in the state. It ranks 9^th of 264 Mississippi middle schools.

How many students attend Petal Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 680 students attended Petal 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.