Summary:
Wiggins, Mississippi, is served by a single middle school option—Stone Middle School—which enrolls 575 students in grades 6 through 8 and is part of the Stone County School District. Because it is the only middle school in the city and district, its scores are identical to the district’s, making it the sole driver of the district’s impressive 5-star, top-10% statewide ranking (14th out of 134 districts).
Stone Middle School is a genuinely standout school, particularly in math and science. On the 2025–2026 MAAP tests, proficiency rates exceeded state averages in every subject and grade level, with 7th-grade math at 79.9% (22 points above the state) and 8th-grade science at 77.4% (nearly 20 points above). The school has also improved its statewide middle school ranking for three straight years, moving from 42nd to 28th out of roughly 260 schools, now sitting in the 89th percentile with a 4-star rating. This strong performance is especially notable given that nearly 60% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, and the student-teacher ratio of 12.9 supports individualized attention. Students and families benefit from a school that is clearly exceeding expectations despite economic challenges.
However, two concerns stand out. Chronic absenteeism is high: 31.1% of students were chronically absent, well above the state average of 23.9%, which could threaten future progress. Additionally, 7th-grade English Language Arts is a weak spot—proficiency dropped sharply from 50.3% to 41.4% year over year, leaving only a slim 4.7-point gap above the state average, while 6th and 8th grade ELA continue to excel. With targeted attention to attendance and 7th-grade literacy, Stone Middle School has the potential to turn its already strong performance into a truly exceptional one.
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