Petal Elementary

Q: Is Petal Elementary a good school?

Petal Elementary ranks 49 th of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Petal Elementary is a public elementary school in Petal, Mississippi, serving 634 students in grades 3-4. It is part of the highly-ranked Petal School District, which is rated 5 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Petal Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Mississippi, with students outperforming the state average in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. In 2023-2024, 70.7% of 3rd graders and 74.2% of 4th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state averages of 57.7% and 57.1%. The school also has a relatively diverse student population, with 70.82% White, 16.4% African American, 5.52% Hispanic, and 0.79% Asian students. However, Petal Elementary has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 99.53%, indicating significant economic need among the student body.

Compared to nearby schools, Petal Elementary's academic performance is significantly stronger than Rawls Springs Attendance Center, which is part of the Forrest County School District. However, Petal Elementary's results are more comparable to the higher-performing schools within the Hattiesburg Public School District, such as Woodley Elementary and Rowan Elementary. The school's consistent high performance and ability to outperform nearby schools make it a standout institution within the Petal School District and the state of Mississippi.

Detail:

Public 3-4

1179 Hwy 42 E
Petal, MS 39465

(601) 582-7454

District: Petal School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
49^th of 390 Mississippi Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,782

Students who attend Petal Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Petal Middle School
	Petal Upper Elementary School
High:	Petal High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.0

Number of students: 631

Racial breakdown:

White:

68.3%

African American:

17.3%

Two or more races:

8.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 59.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Petal Elementary ranks better than 87.4% of elementary schools in Mississippi. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 82.95. (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 (68.3%), African American (17.3%), two or more races (8.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 59.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Petal Elementary is 13. (See more...)

Compare Petal Elementary employs 48.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Petal Elementary is $9,782.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Petal School District:

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

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Rank History for Petal Elementary

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MS State Percentile
2010	87.47	34^th	403	91.6%
2011	87.06	34^th	418	91.9%
2012	90.60	28^th	414	93.2%
2013	86.82	34^th	408	91.7%
2014	80.85	54^th	394	86.3%
2015	96.57	14^th	402	96.5%
2016	90.59	20^th	394	94.9%
2017	91.36	24^th	406	94.1%
2018	94.60	13^th	404	96.8%
2019	91.31	20^th	397	95.0%
2021	95.64	9^th	381	97.6%
2022	88.51	28^th	382	92.7%
2023	83.87	44^th	377	88.3%
2024	82.95	49^th	390	87.4%

See the entire list of Mississippi Elementary 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 Petal Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2009	530	94	5	12	0	0	0	641
2010	510	92	8	15	0	0	6	631
2011	503	94	7	25	1	0	5	635
2012	491	96	8	21	4	0	8	628
2013	476	69	7	28	1	0	18	599
2014	455	70	7	22	0	0	29	583
2015	442	87	5	18	0	2	27	581
2016	446	118	5	19	0	1	22	611
2017	486	113	5	21	1	2	23	651
2018	499	103	2	26	1	2	31	664
2019	470	116	1	39	0	0	27	653
2020	444	98	0	34	0	0	29	605
2021	422	85	1	18	0	0	22	548
2022	460	94	3	27	0	2	20	606
2023	449	104	5	35	0	1	40	634
2024	431	109	4	33	0	0	54	631

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 Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	641	37.7	17.0	52.6
2010	631	40.2	15.6	58.3
2011	635	36.9	17.1	63.3
2012	628	36.2	17.3	59.1
2013	599	36.5	16.3	59.1
2014	583	35.3	16.4	60.5
2015	581	36.0	16.1	62.5
2016	611	37.0	16.5	66.4
2017	651	36.4	17.8	59.6
2018	664	40.1	16.5	57.1
2019	653	40.4	16.1	63.6
2020	605	40.7	14.8	63.5
2021	548	39.7	13.7	99.5
2022	606	43.4	13.9	99.5
2023	634	46.2	13.7	99.5
2024	631	48.4	13.0	59.1

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 Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	641	37.7	17.0	52.6
2010	631	40.2	15.6	58.3
2011	635	36.9	17.1	63.3
2012	628	36.2	17.3	59.1
2013	599	36.5	16.3	59.1
2014	583	35.3	16.4	60.5
2015	581	36.0	16.1	62.5
2016	611	37.0	16.5	66.4
2017	651	36.4	17.8	59.6
2018	664	40.1	16.5	57.1
2019	653	40.4	16.1	63.6
2020	605	40.7	14.8	63.5
2021	548	39.7	13.7	99.5
2022	606	43.4	13.9	99.5
2023	634	46.2	13.7	99.5
2024	631	48.4	13.0	59.1

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 Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$7,562
2018	$7,617
2019	$8,609
2020	$9,693
2021	$9,026
2022	$9,782

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Petal Elementary

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 20^th of 397 Elementary schools	Ranks 44^th of 377 Elementary schools	6.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Petal Elementary)	71.1	73.3	2.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Petal School District)	71.1	73.3	2.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.3	51.6	3.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Petal Elementary)	74.1	76.8	2.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Petal School District)	74.1	76.8	2.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	51.4	54.8	3.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Petal Elementary)	69	63	6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Petal School District)	69	63	6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.5	53.4	4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Petal Elementary)	73.3	67.7	5.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Petal School District)	73.3	67.7	5.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	48.8	56.7	7.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	653	634	2.9%
African American	116	104	10.3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	1	5	400%
Hispanic	39	35	10.3%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	470	449	4.5%
Two or More Races	27	40	48.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	63.6%	99.5%	36%

Schools Near Petal Elementary

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 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 3rd Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	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 3rd Grade	MAAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MAAP Science 5th Grade	MAAP Science 8th Grade	Total
Petal Elementary	Public	3-4	1179 Hwy 42 E	Petal	39465	Forrest County	Petal School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 582-7454	631	48	13.0	59.1%	431 (68.3%)	109 (17.3%)	33 (5.2%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (8.6%)	83	49^th of 390 public elementary schools	87.4%		83.9	44^th of 377 public elementary schools	88.3%	5	70.7	74.2					66.8	74.6							$9,782
Petal Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	60 Herrington Road	Petal	39465	Forrest County	Petal School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 554-7244	1,089	90	12.0	65.2%	738 (67.8%)	188 (17.3%)	64 (5.9%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	93 (8.5%)								(n/a)															$10,462
Runnelstown Elementary School	Public	K-5	9214 Highway 42	Petal	39465	Forrest County	Perry County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 544-2811	200	22	9.0	76.0%	156 (78.0%)	27 (13.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (7.5%)	41.6	235^th of 390 public elementary schools	39.7%		52.6	170^th of 377 public elementary schools	54.9%	65	37.5	79.2	41.1				37.5	47.8	43.6				64.1		$15,670
Hawkins Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	901 Ida Ave.	Hattiesburg	39401	Forrest County	Hattiesburg Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 583-4311	289	26	10.9	100.0%	8 (2.8%)	200 (69.2%)	67 (23.2%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.2%)	49.9	205^th of 390 public elementary schools	47.4%		51.6	174^th of 377 public elementary schools	53.8%	31	54.6	40.0	46.9				50.0	40.0	71.9				78.1		$12,343
Earl Travillion Attendance Center	Public	PK, KG-8	316 Travillion Drive	Hattiesburg	39401	Forrest County	Forrest County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 584-9303	258	25	10.3	98.8%	10 (3.9%)	182 (70.5%)	53 (20.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.0%)	16.3	342^nd of 390 public elementary schools	12.3%		24.2	304^th of 377 public elementary schools	19.4%	38	21.5	26.1	52.6	14.3	31.6	15.0	32.1	4.3	26.3	38.1	26.3	25.0	47.3	25.0	$14,682
Rowan Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	500 Martin Luther King Drive	Hattiesburg	39401	Forrest County	Hattiesburg Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 583-0960	388	29	13.4	100.0%	2 (0.5%)	367 (94.6%)	10 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.3%)	78.7	67^th of 390 public elementary schools	82.8%		74.6	83^rd of 377 public elementary schools	78.0%	16	47.6	69.4	66.7				81.0	69.3	66.7				89.4		$12,738
Grace Christian Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2207 W 7th Street	Hattiesburg	39401	Forrest County	Hattiesburg Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 583-0662	345	25	14.0	100.0%	8 (2.3%)	306 (88.7%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (7.8%)	67.6	123^rd of 390 public elementary schools	68.5%		65.7	118^th of 377 public elementary schools	68.7%	5	59.2	46.0	60.5				69.4	60.0	65.1				81.4		$11,615
Woodley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2006 O Ferrell St	Hattiesburg	39401	Forrest County	Hattiesburg Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 583-8112	461	32	14.6	100.0%	52 (11.3%)	287 (62.3%)	98 (21.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.2%)	75.9	81^st of 390 public elementary schools	79.2%		72.6	88^th of 377 public elementary schools	76.7%	7	66.6	59.5	59.7				71.8	63.8	59.7				85.1		$11,236
Thames Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2900 Jamestown Road	Hattiesburg	39402	Forrest County	Hattiesburg Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 582-6655	537	44	12.1	100.0%	23 (4.3%)	461 (85.8%)	14 (2.6%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (6.3%)	58.9	159^th of 390 public elementary schools	59.2%		48.2	190^th of 377 public elementary schools	49.6%	31	51.8	56.5	65.2				54.2	49.3	46.3				81.2		$12,795
North Forrest Attendance Center	Public	K-6	702 Eatonville Road	Hattiesburg	39401	Forrest County	Forrest County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 584-6466	214	21	10.0	92.1%	45 (21.0%)	145 (67.8%)	10 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (6.5%)	67.8	121^st of 390 public elementary schools	69.0%		70.3	105^th of 377 public elementary schools	72.1%	16	52.1	48.2	67.7	56.0			54.5	58.6	54.9	64.0			83.8		$16,196

Frequently Asked Questions about Petal Elementary

How many students attend Petal Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 631 students attended Petal Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Petal Elementary attend?

Students who attend Petal Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Petal Middle School
Middle : Petal Upper Elementary School
High : Petal High School

What is the racial makeup of Petal Elementary?

Students at Petal Elementary are 68% White, 17% African American, 9% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic.

What district is Petal Elementary in?

Petal School District

Is Petal Elementary a good school?

Petal Elementary ranks 49^th of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Petal Elementary!

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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.