High Schools in Meridian Public Schools

Meridian Public Schools is served by a single high school, Meridian High School, located at 2320 32nd Street in Meridian, MS 39305, which serves grades 9 through 12 with an enrollment of 1,253 students. Because it is the district's only high school, the school's data mirrors the Meridian Public Schools district-level figures, making the school the sole focus of high school performance in the area. The student body is almost entirely economically disadvantaged, with 99.76% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and the school maintains a favorable 11:1 student-teacher ratio, suggesting roughly 114 teachers for its 1,253 students.

Meridian High School ranks in the bottom 10% of Mississippi high schools, occupying the 7th percentile (209th out of 224 schools) in 2025-2026, with a zero-star rating for the third consecutive year. The school's performance trend is mixed: its absolute rank improved from 220th to 209th and its percentile rose from 4th to 7th, indicating a modest relative gain. The graduation rate stands at 83.3%, which is 5.9 points below the state average of 89.2% but still above 80%. However, chronic absenteeism is a critical concern, with 47.0% of students chronically absent compared to 32.8% district-wide and 23.9% statewide. Test scores on MAAP end-of-course exams are far below state proficiency levels in every subject, with English II the weakest area at 25.8% proficient versus 49.3% statewide.

There are encouraging signs despite the low overall performance. Algebra I proficiency improved substantially from 30.9% to 41.5% year-over-year, and Biology jumped from 23.3% to 33.8%, while English II remained nearly flat at 25.8%. With no other high school in the district, all accountability and improvement efforts rest on this single campus, which heightens the importance of addressing the most urgent issue: chronic absenteeism. Reducing the near-50% absenteeism rate and focusing on literacy interventions could help the school continue its modest upward trajectory and better serve its highly disadvantaged student population.