Summary:
Marion County School District in Mississippi serves two middle schools — West Marion Middle School (grades 5–8, 355 students) and East Marion Middle School (grades 6–8, 143 students) — with the district ranked 61st out of 134 in the state and both schools serving very high-poverty populations (over 97% free/reduced lunch).
In this two-school snapshot, West Marion Middle School is clearly the stronger performer: it ranks 152nd out of 260 Mississippi middle schools with a 2-star rating, while East Marion Middle School ranks 207th with 1 star. West Marion leads in eight of the nine comparable grade/subject test results, and its standout is 8th grade math (70.4% proficient) — more than double East Marion’s rate and 19 points above the state average. West Marion also posts strong 5th grade science (69.7%) and math (43.4%), though scores dip noticeably in 6th grade. East Marion’s one clear bright spot is 6th grade math (39.1%), which beats West Marion by 13.2 points and outpaces the district average by 8.4 points. However, East Marion remains well behind in ELA, 8th grade math, and 8th grade science, and its 8th grade math rate (29.6%) is nearly 27 points below the district average.
Both schools share a critical weakness in English language arts — no ELA proficiency rate at either school reaches the state average at any grade level. Given the extreme poverty levels, West Marion’s near-state-average 8th grade science and above-average 8th grade math are especially notable. East Marion’s small enrollment (roughly 48 students per grade) means its proficiency percentages can swing easily from year to year, while West Marion’s larger classes offer somewhat more stable results. For parents, the overall picture is clear: West Marion is the higher-achieving school with stronger math and science outcomes, while East Marion offers one solid area in 6th grade math but otherwise lags behind both its district counterpart and state averages.
Thank you for your feedback!