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Pearl River Central Junior High

Summary:

Pearl River Central Junior High is a public middle school in Carriere, Mississippi, serving 772 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Poplarville Separate School District, which is ranked 27th out of 130 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

One key differentiator for Pearl River Central Junior High is its racial makeup, with a significantly higher percentage of white students (87.56%) compared to nearby Middle School of Poplarville (83.93%) and Picayune Junior High School (56.67%). Academically, the school outperforms the state average in MAAP test scores, with 8th-grade proficiency rates of 48.9% in English Language Arts and 55.9% in Mathematics, exceeding the state averages. However, the school has a lower spending per student ($7,295) compared to the nearby Middle School of Poplarville ($9,263) and Picayune Junior High School ($8,112).

Over the past 10 years, Pearl River Central Junior High has consistently ranked in the top half of Mississippi middle schools, suggesting strong academic performance. The school also has an exceptionally high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 99.61% to 100% over the past three school years, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. While the school generally outperforms the state, the nearby Picayune School District sometimes achieves higher proficiency rates in certain subjects and grade levels, highlighting the role of the district's overall quality in student outcomes.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 7391 Hwy 11
       Carriere, MS  39426

(601) 798-5654

District: Pearl River County School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
101st of 264 Mississippi Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,280 Help


Students who attend Pearl River Central Junior High usually attend:

High:    Pearl River Central High School

Feeder schools for Pearl River Central Junior High:

Elementary:    Pearl River Central Elementar

Student/teacher ratio:  15.0 Help
Number of students:  775

Racial breakdown:

White:
84.8%
Two or more races:
8.1%
African American:
3.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  61.4% Help


 See top rated Mississippi middle schools

 Compare Pearl River Central Junior High to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Pearl River Central Junior High ranks better than 61.7% of middle schools in Mississippi. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 60.54. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (84.8%), two or more races (8.1%), African American (3.4%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 61.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Pearl River Central Junior High is 15. (See more...)
Help
Compare Pearl River Central Junior High employs 51.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Pearl River Central Junior High is $9,280.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Pearl River Central Junior High was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Pearl River Central Junior High 101st of 264 Mississippi public middle schools. (See Pearl River Central Junior High in the ranking list.)

Pearl River County School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Pearl River County School District 27th of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Pearl River Central Junior High

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MS State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2008 59.72 102nd 244 58.2%
2009 62.07 92nd 247 62.8%
2010 65.81 85th 255 66.7%
2011 67.87 76th 264 71.2%
2012 71.26 76th 270 71.9%
2013 84.36 30th 269 88.8%
2014 81.50 33rd 264 87.5%
2015 53.91 107th 266 59.8%
2016 78.24 46th 260 82.3%
2017 72.34 69th 272 74.6%
2018 74.43 57th 252 77.4%
2019 70.99 68th 264 74.2%
2021 70.55 72nd 257 72.0%
2022 66.37 91st 257 64.6%
2023 62.26 89th 243 63.4%
2024 60.54 101st 264 61.7%
See the entire list of Mississippi Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Mississippi Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Pearl River Central Junior High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Pearl River Central Junior High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1990 661 36 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 697
1991 645 38 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 683
1992 679 40 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 720
1993 663 31 0 2 1 n/a n/a 0 697
1994 606 26 0 82 1 n/a n/a 0 715
1995 699 43 2 2 1 n/a n/a 0 747
1996 699 43 2 2 1 n/a n/a 0 747
1997 728 27 2 5 2 n/a n/a 0 764
1998 746 27 2 6 0 n/a n/a 0 781
1999 742 31 2 3 0 n/a n/a 0 778
2000 399 10 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 412
2001 409 17 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 428
2002 442 16 2 2 2 n/a n/a 0 464
2003 442 16 2 2 2 n/a n/a 0 464
2004 471 18 3 1 2 n/a n/a 0 495
2005 449 29 2 2 3 n/a n/a 0 485
2006 704 33 2 5 4 n/a n/a 0 748
2007 745 36 4 9 2 n/a n/a 0 796
2008 759 37 4 9 1 n/a n/a 0 810
2009 741 38 3 9 0 0 0 0 791
2010 695 32 2 8 1 0 7 0 745
2011 676 32 2 15 3 0 4 0 732
2012 650 33 3 18 4 0 18 0 726
2013 687 30 3 15 3 0 13 0 751
2014 691 24 2 17 1 0 22 0 757
2015 675 24 0 15 1 0 20 0 735
2016 678 23 1 15 2 0 19 0 738
2017 736 26 2 14 5 0 25 0 808
2018 734 30 2 16 6 0 22 0 810
2019 732 26 1 18 6 0 41 0 824
2020 721 27 4 17 5 0 42 0 816
2021 746 26 3 12 5 0 39 0 831
2022 700 26 2 20 0 0 41 0 789
2023 676 28 2 14 4 0 48 0 772
2024 657 26 2 19 8 0 63 0 775

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 Pearl River Central Junior High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 697 28.7 24.2 n/a
1991 683 28.3 24.1 n/a
1992 720 30.5 23.6 37.9
1993 697 33.6 20.7 40.5
1994 715 36.2 19.8 44.6
1995 747 37.2 20.1 42.2
1996 747 37.2 20.1 42.2
1997 764 37.3 20.5 42.7
1998 781 36.8 21.2 39.2
1999 778 74.4 10.5 51.3
2000 412 23.2 17.8 53.2
2001 428 21.7 19.7 54.2
2002 464 40.6 11.4 57.5
2003 464 40.6 11.4 57.5
2004 495 38.5 12.9 51.5
2005 485 24.1 20.1 48
2006 748 34.2 21.9 54.9
2007 796 42.9 18.6 53.6
2008 810 46.2 17.5 50.7
2009 791 51.2 15.4 57.1
2010 745 49.1 15.1 61.1
2011 732 47.1 15.5 65.6
2012 726 47.2 15.3 65.6
2013 751 45.6 16.4 62.5
2014 757 44.7 16.9 63.7
2015 735 37.0 19.8 63.4
2016 738 45.0 16.4 67.8
2017 808 46.8 17.2 65
2018 810 50.9 15.8 65.6
2019 824 48.5 16.9 63.3
2020 816 45.8 17.8 100
2021 831 48.7 17.0 100
2022 789 47.5 16.5 99.6
2023 772 51.2 15.0 99.6
2024 775 51.4 15.0 61.4

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 Pearl River Central Junior High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 697 28.7 24.2 n/a
1991 683 28.3 24.1 n/a
1992 720 30.5 23.6 37.9
1993 697 33.6 20.7 40.5
1994 715 36.2 19.8 44.6
1995 747 37.2 20.1 42.2
1996 747 37.2 20.1 42.2
1997 764 37.3 20.5 42.7
1998 781 36.8 21.2 39.2
1999 778 74.4 10.5 51.3
2000 412 23.2 17.8 53.2
2001 428 21.7 19.7 54.2
2002 464 40.6 11.4 57.5
2003 464 40.6 11.4 57.5
2004 495 38.5 12.9 51.5
2005 485 24.1 20.1 48
2006 748 34.2 21.9 54.9
2007 796 42.9 18.6 53.6
2008 810 46.2 17.5 50.7
2009 791 51.2 15.4 57.1
2010 745 49.1 15.1 61.1
2011 732 47.1 15.5 65.6
2012 726 47.2 15.3 65.6
2013 751 45.6 16.4 62.5
2014 757 44.7 16.9 63.7
2015 735 37.0 19.8 63.4
2016 738 45.0 16.4 67.8
2017 808 46.8 17.2 65
2018 810 50.9 15.8 65.6
2019 824 48.5 16.9 63.3
2020 816 45.8 17.8 100
2021 831 48.7 17.0 100
2022 789 47.5 16.5 99.6
2023 772 51.2 15.0 99.6
2024 775 51.4 15.0 61.4

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 Pearl River Central Junior High

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2017 $7,466
2018 $7,295
2019 $7,564
2020 $8,363
2021 $8,454
2022 $9,280

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Pearl River Central Junior High

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 68th of 264 Middle schoolsRanks 89th of 243 Middle schools
 10.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Pearl River Central Junior High)4133.7
 7.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pearl River County School District)4133.7
 7.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)33.640.3
 6.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Pearl River Central Junior High)47.946.1
 1.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Pearl River County School District)47.946.1
 1.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)47.645.5
 2.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Pearl River Central Junior High)49.839.6
 10.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pearl River County School District)49.839.6
 10.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)3940.2
 1.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Pearl River Central Junior High)48.855.5
 6.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Pearl River County School District)48.855.5
 6.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)51.155.6
 4.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Pearl River Central Junior High)47.246.6
 0.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pearl River County School District)47.246.6
 0.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)35.540.5
 5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Pearl River Central Junior High)46.455.9
 9.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Pearl River County School District)46.455.9
 9.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)44.846.1
 1.3%
8th Grade Science (Pearl River Central Junior High)68.959.7
 9.2%
   8th Grade Science (Pearl River County School District)68.959.7
 9.2%
   8th Grade Science (Mississippi)52.753.3
 0.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students824772
 6.3%
African American2628
 7.7%
American Indian64
 33.3%
Asian12
 100%
Hispanic1814
 22.2%
Pacific Islander00
White732676
 7.7%
Two or More Races4148
 17.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients63.3%99.6%
 36.3%

Schools Near Pearl River Central Junior High








Frequently Asked Questions about Pearl River Central Junior High

Pearl River Central Junior High ranks 101st of 264 Mississippi middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Pearl River Central Junior High are 85% White, 8% Two or more races, 3% African American, 2% Hispanic, 1% American Indian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 775 students attended Pearl River Central Junior High.

Students who attend Pearl River Central Junior High usually go on to attend Pearl River Central 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.




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