Southeast Middle School

Southeast Middle School in Meridian, MS, serves 371 students in grades 5–8 as part of the Lauderdale County School District. The school has become one of the top-performing middle schools in Mississippi, ranking 27th out of 260 schools (90th percentile) in 2025–2026. This represents a remarkable climb from the 56th percentile in 2018–2019, with the school earning 4- and 5-star ratings in recent years—evidence that the improvement is sustained, not a one-time spike.

Where Southeast Middle School truly stands out is in math and science. In 8th grade science, 80.3% of students are proficient, compared to 57.8% statewide and 72.5% district-wide. Sixth grade math proficiency is 75%, well above the state average of 52.7%. These results far surpass nearby schools. At Northeast Middle School, also in the Lauderdale County School District, only 60.3% of 8th graders are proficient in science. The gap with Meridian Public Schools is even wider: 8th grade science proficiency is just 47.8% at Northwest Middle School and 34.2% at Magnolia Middle School. Even Enterprise Middle School, highly regarded in the region, trails Southeast in 8th grade science at 71.4%.

English language arts is solid in grades 6–8, with proficiency rates above state averages, though 5th grade reading (49%) lags behind the state (55.8%). Notably, Southeast achieves these results while serving a population where 71% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch—nearly identical to Northeast Middle's 71.5%—yet outcomes are dramatically better. Chronic absenteeism has improved from 30.3% to 27.4% but remains above the state average of 23.9%. Reducing absenteeism further and strengthening 5th grade reading could help Southeast climb even higher in state rankings.