Middle Schools in Madison County Schools

Madison County Schools, located in Madison County, Mississippi, encompasses 4 middle schools serving grades 6–8 with a total enrollment of 3,005 students and a district ranking of 20th out of 134 districts in Mississippi (85th percentile, 4-star rating). The four schools — Madison Middle School, Germantown Middle, Old Town Middle School, and Shirley D. Simmons Middle School — vary widely in size and demographics, from Madison Middle's 1,180 students to Simmons' 124 students, with free/reduced lunch percentages ranging from 25.17% at Madison to 94.35% at Simmons.

Madison Middle School stands out as the clear leader, ranked #1 in Mississippi for three consecutive years (2023–2026) with 100% proficiency in Algebra I and Biology, math proficiency between 84–90%, and ELA proficiency between 71–79%. Germantown Middle is a strong and improving alternative, moving from #25 to #7 in the state over three years with similar demographics and near-perfect advanced course scores. By contrast, Old Town Middle School and Shirley D. Simmons Middle School serve much higher-poverty populations and lag in ELA and math — Old Town averages 46% ELA and 55.8% math, while Simmons averages 37.8% ELA and 49.8% math — though both post 100% proficiency in Algebra I and Old Town reaches 100% in Biology.

The most striking pattern is the socioeconomic achievement divide, yet there are notable bright spots: Shirley D. Simmons Middle School posted 84.7% science proficiency, exceeding the district (77.4%) and state (57.8%) averages. Chronic absenteeism is low across all four schools — Madison at 8.3%, Germantown at 10.8%, Simmons at 17.0%, and Old Town at 21.1% — all below the state average of 23.9%. Interestingly, student–teacher ratios do not predict performance: Simmons has the lowest ratio (6.3) but the lowest test scores, while Germantown has the highest (14.1) and performs much better. For parents, Madison Middle School is the top choice academically, Germantown Middle offers a strong upward trajectory, and Old Town and Simmons provide solid advanced-course opportunities even amidst broader challenges.