Kemper County Middle School

Kemper County Middle School is a public school in De Kalb, Mississippi, serving 191 students in grades 6–8 as part of the Kemper County School District. The school serves a student body where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, an indicator of very high poverty levels in this rural east-central Mississippi community.

Academically, Kemper County Middle has consistently ranked in the lower quarter of Mississippi's middle schools. In the most recent 2025–2026 state ranking, it placed 200th out of 260 schools, earning a 1-star rating and landing in the 23rd percentile. Proficiency rates trail state averages in nearly every subject and grade. The contrast with nearby West Lauderdale Middle School, about 19 miles away in Collinsville, is stark: West Lauderdale ranks 24th out of 260 (91st percentile, 5 stars) and outperforms Kemper County by 19 to 38 percentage points in every subject and grade. For example, 6th-grade math proficiency is 30% at Kemper County versus 68% at West Lauderdale, and 8th-grade ELA proficiency is 26.5% versus 60.5%. The poverty gap is equally dramatic — 100% of Kemper County students qualify for free or reduced lunch compared to 39.5% at West Lauderdale. Chronic absenteeism at Kemper County was 26.2% in 2023–2024, slightly above the state rate, but the school does boast a lower student-teacher ratio (11.0) than West Lauderdale (13.6), though this has not translated into stronger outcomes.

There are some signs of hope. Kemper County's 8th-grade math proficiency (47%) and 8th-grade science proficiency (49%) are close to state averages, suggesting a relative strength in upper-grade math and science. The school also showed upward momentum, improving from 221st to 200th in the latest ranking. However, with only 191 students across three grades, proficiency rates can swing dramatically from year to year as small cohorts move through — 8th-grade math, for instance, went from 48% to 20.9% and back to 47% over three years. For parents, this means looking at multi-year trends rather than any single year's score. Ultimately, Kemper County Middle faces significant challenges tied to concentrated poverty and attendance, but its small size and occasional bright spots suggest that targeted support could make a visible difference.