Best Middle Schools in Seminary, MS

Seminary, Mississippi, is served by exactly one middle school—Seminary Middle—which enrolls 365 students in grades 5 through 8 and is part of the Covington County School District, a district that ranks near the middle of Mississippi (49th percentile). Because there is only one middle school in the city, this is a single-school case study rather than a comparison among local schools.

Seminary Middle stands out for its exceptional early-middle-grade performance, especially in math and science. In 2025–2026, 5th grade science proficiency reached 88.6% and 5th grade math reached 71.5%—both far above state averages. Math remains a signature strength through 7th grade, with all three grades (5th, 6th, 7th) exceeding state proficiency rates in 2025–2026. Science is the school’s strongest subject overall, with both 5th and 8th grade science above district and state averages in both tested years. However, the school experiences a sharp decline by 8th grade: 8th grade math proficiency is only 37.7% (13.7 points below the state) and 8th grade ELA is 33.4% (7.5 points below the state). ELA weakness emerges in upper grades, as proficiency drops from 67.2% in 5th grade to 33.4% in 8th grade.

The school serves a highly economically disadvantaged population, with 99.18% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, and chronic absenteeism is 36.0%—about 50% higher than the state rate of 23.9%. Despite these challenges, Seminary Middle has improved its statewide ranking from 102nd (2023–2024) to 80th (2024–2025), before slipping slightly to 90th (2025–2026), still placing it in the 65th percentile of Mississippi middle schools and above its district’s overall performance. With a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.9, the school has a solid foundation. The most urgent opportunities for improvement are upper-grade literacy, 8th grade math support, and reducing chronic absenteeism. For parents, Seminary Middle offers strong early academics but requires attention and support to help students maintain momentum through 8th grade.