Middle Schools in Meridian Public Schools

Meridian Public Schools contains two middle schools serving grades 6–8 in Meridian, MS: Northwest Middle School (enrollment 484) and Magnolia Middle School (enrollment 440). Both schools serve 100% economically disadvantaged populations, with nearly identical student-teacher ratios (12.5:1 and 12.9:1), and operate within a district ranked in the bottom 10% of Mississippi districts.

Northwest Middle School is the clear overall standout. It ranks 211 out of 260 Mississippi middle schools (19th percentile) versus Magnolia’s 235 out of 260 (10th percentile), and has improved from the 12th percentile in 2023-24 while Magnolia declined from the 19th. Northwest leads in every ELA grade level, 8th-grade science (47.8% vs. 34.2% proficiency), and has significantly better attendance, with 27.8% chronic absenteeism compared to Magnolia’s 39.9%. Magnolia Middle School is a math-specific standout, slightly edging out Northwest in combined math proficiency (29.0% vs. 27.9%), with a notable 45.5% 7th-grade math score in 2025-26. However, Magnolia trails Northwest in every other subject and overall ranking.

Both schools remain well below state averages in every test category, with 6th-grade math the most urgent weakness—proficiency dropped to 18.2% at Northwest and 21.1% at Magnolia, far behind the 52.7% state average. Chronic absenteeism is a major concern, especially at Magnolia, where 39.9% of students are chronically absent compared to the 23.9% state rate. One fascinating pattern: both schools posted identical +18.6 point jumps in 7th-grade math proficiency, suggesting a shared district initiative or strong cohort rather than a school-specific success. The two schools have clearly reversed fortunes since 2023-24, demonstrating that school-level practices and attendance efforts can make a meaningful difference even under identical poverty conditions.