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Jefferson Middle School

Public Grades 6-8
127th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 266 Mississippi Middle Schools
Better than 52% of Mississippi middle schools
Summary

Jefferson Middle School is a public middle school located in Columbia, Mississippi, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 357 students. The school is part of the Columbia School District, which is ranked 49 out of 130 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Jefferson Middle School has experienced high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 23.1% to 42.0% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average. The school's test scores in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science have been mixed compared to the state and district averages, with some grade levels and subjects performing better than others, particularly in 8th-grade Mathematics. However, the school has maintained a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 10.1 to 13.5 over the past few years, which could be a positive factor in providing more individualized attention to students.

The nearest comparable school, West Marion Elementary, has lower chronic absenteeism rates but generally lower test scores than Jefferson Middle School, particularly in Mathematics and Science. Despite these challenges, Jefferson Middle School has maintained a consistent 3-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past several years, indicating that its overall performance has been relatively stable. The school's high percentage of students from low-income families may present additional challenges, and the school could explore strategies to improve attendance and engage with the local community to address the factors contributing to chronic absenteeism.

329
Students ?
12.0
Student/teacher ratio ?
$12,118
Per pupil spending ?
72%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 611 Owens Street
       Columbia, MS  39429-3135

(601) 736-2786

District: Columbia School District


Students who attend Jefferson Middle School usually attend:

High:    Columbia High School

Feeder schools for Jefferson Middle School:

Elementary:    Columbia Elementary School
    Columbia Primary School
Racial breakdown:

White:
47.4%
African American:
45.0%
Two or more races:
3.3%
more
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At a glance
▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 51st percentile in 2015 → 52nd in 2025
Strengths
✓Above the Mississippi median (52nd percentile)
✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher
Worth a look
!High chronic absenteeism (42% vs 24% Mississippi)
Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?
This school45%
District avg45%
Mississippi avg48%
127th of 266
Mississippi public middle schools ?
Top 48%▲ up 2 pts since 2015
See the entire ranking list of Mississippi Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
49th of 130Columbia School District among Mississippi districts
Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMississippi percentileRating
202551.4127 of 26652.3%★★★☆☆
202455.1119 of 26454.9%★★★☆☆
202364.683 of 24365.8%★★★☆☆
202262.2101 of 25760.7%★★★☆☆
202151.0125 of 25751.4%★★★☆☆
201941.2150 of 26443.2%★★☆☆☆
201835.9165 of 25234.5%★★☆☆☆
201749.5137 of 27249.6%★★★☆☆
201649.6130 of 26050.0%★★★☆☆
201548.0131 of 26650.8%★★★☆☆
201363.4102 of 26962.1%★★★☆☆
201249.6144 of 27046.7%★★☆☆☆
201159.2119 of 26454.9%★★★☆☆
201045.4151 of 25540.8%★★☆☆☆
200947.8137 of 24744.5%★★☆☆☆
200855.0126 of 24448.4%★★☆☆☆
By subject vs Mississippi (2024-2025) ?
Science50%-5 vs state
English Language Arts44%~ state avg
Mathematics43%-9 vs state

★
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Frequently Asked Questions about Jefferson Middle School

Students who attend Jefferson Middle School usually go on to attend Columbia High School

Jefferson Middle School ranks 127th of 266 Mississippi middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Jefferson Middle School are 47% White, 45% African American, 3% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

In the 2024-25 school year, 329 students attended Jefferson Middle School.


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MSMississippi Middle School Rankings

MSMississippi District Rankings

Schools in Columbia, MS

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Mississippi Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.




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