Best Middle Schools in McComb, MS

There are two public middle schools in McComb, Mississippi, both within the McComb School District: Denman Junior High School, serving grades 7–8 with 312 students, and Higgins Middle School, serving grades 4–6 with 287 students. Both schools report 100% free/reduced-price lunch eligibility, and the district ranks in the bottom third of Mississippi schools.

These two schools have effectively swapped positions relative to the state over the last year. In 2024–2025, Higgins was the stronger school, sitting only about 9 points behind the state average in combined proficiency, while Denman trailed by about 23 points. In 2025–2026, however, Denman closed much of its gap—now about 10 points behind the state—thanks to dramatic 8th grade gains: math proficiency jumped from 9.9% to 47.6%, science from 23.2% to 51.0%, and ELA from 17.4% to 30.5%. During that same period, Higgins saw scores fall sharply, with 6th grade math dropping from 52.0% to 33.6% and 6th grade ELA falling from 40.0% to 29.5%. Higgins now trails the state by about 20 points on average, despite having a better student–teacher ratio (11.0:1 vs. 14.2:1) and lower chronic absenteeism (36.0% vs. 43.5%).

Chronic absenteeism is a systemic issue in both schools, far exceeding the state average of 23.9%. Denman’s rate is 43.5% and Higgins’ is 36.0%. Denman’s state rank improved from 224th to 169th over the year, but it remains slightly below its 2023–2024 peak of 163rd. The gains at Denman are uneven—7th grade math actually dipped by 6 points—suggesting the improvement may be tied to a specific cohort or targeted 8th grade interventions. Meanwhile, Higgins’ decline, despite smaller class sizes, indicates that resources alone do not guarantee stable performance. The key takeaway for parents: both schools face real challenges, but Denman’s recent 8th grade turnaround shows meaningful progress is possible, while Higgins’ reversal is a reminder that earlier strengths can fade quickly.