Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Petal Middle School

Public Grades 7-8

15^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 266 Mississippi Middle Schools

Better than 94% of Mississippi middle schools

Summary

Petal Middle School is a high-performing public middle school serving grades 7-8 in the Petal School District in Petal, Mississippi. With a student population of 680 and a student-teacher ratio of around 13-15 students per teacher, the school has consistently ranked among the top middle schools in the state, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Petal Middle School's academic performance is particularly noteworthy, with students consistently outperforming the state average in MAAP (Mississippi Academic Assessment Program) test scores across all subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, 52.7% of 7th graders and 59.8% of 8th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state averages of 37.3% and 41.7%, respectively. In mathematics, the school had 78% of 7th graders and 69.7% of 8th graders proficient or better, compared to the state averages of 55.5% and 47.5%. Additionally, the school has relatively low chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 15.8% to 23.9% over the past few years.

While Petal Middle School has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 57.79% to 99.6% over the past few years, the school's academic performance remains strong. When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Purvis Middle School and Perry Central Middle School, Petal Middle School generally outperforms them in academic achievement, particularly in mathematics. This suggests that the school has effective strategies in place to support its economically disadvantaged students and ensure their academic success.

645

Students ?

12.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,846

Per pupil spending ?

60%

Free/discounted lunch ?

203 East Central Avenue
Petal, MS 39465

(601) 584-6301

District: Petal School District

Students who attend Petal Middle School usually attend:

High:

Petal High School

Feeder schools for Petal Middle School:

Elementary:	Petal Elementary 3-4
	Petal Primary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

72.4%

African American:

18.0%

Hispanic:

5.7%

See top rated Mississippi middle schools

Compare Petal Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 94th percentile in 2015 → 94th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Mississippi average (65% vs 47% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 6% of Mississippi middle schools

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school65%

District avg65%

Mississippi avg47%

15^th of 266

Mississippi public middle schools ?

Top 6%▬ steady since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Mississippi Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 130Petal 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

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Mississippi percentile	Rating
2025	87.9	15 of 266	94.4%	★★★★★
2024	93.0	9 of 264	96.6%	★★★★★
2023	89.5	19 of 243	92.2%	★★★★★
2022	94.0	8 of 257	96.9%	★★★★★
2021	95.5	5 of 257	98.1%	★★★★★
2019	94.2	7 of 264	97.3%	★★★★★
2018	96.3	2 of 252	99.2%	★★★★★
2017	94.0	7 of 272	97.4%	★★★★★
2016	90.3	13 of 260	95.0%	★★★★★
2015	90.5	16 of 266	94.0%	★★★★★
2014	74.5	54 of 264	79.5%	★★★★☆
2013	89.7	14 of 269	94.8%	★★★★★
2012	93.2	9 of 270	96.7%	★★★★★
2011	91.8	11 of 264	95.8%	★★★★★
2010	92.8	9 of 255	96.5%	★★★★★
2009	83.8	26 of 247	89.5%	★★★★☆
2008	83.0	30 of 244	87.7%	★★★★☆

By subject vs Mississippi (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics74%+23 vs state

Science66%+12 vs state

English Language Arts56%+17 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Petal Middle School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a citizen
Wednesday, November 13, 2019

I had to move from Oak Grove middle school to Petal Middle school in the middle of the year and it was so much better. The lunches were better, Electronic Devices actually worked, and the teachers were more willing to help. Petal middle school is a great school. Close Quote

Schools Near Petal Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				MAAP English Language Arts (2025)				MAAP Mathematics (2025)				MAAP Algebra I (2025)	MAAP Science (2025)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MAAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MAAP Algebra I End of Course	MAAP Science 5th Grade	MAAP Science 8th Grade	Total
Petal Middle School	Public	7-8	203 East Central Avenue	Petal	39465	Forrest County	Petal School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 584-6301	645	50	12.7	60.0%	467 (72.4%)	116 (18.0%)	37 (5.7%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	18 (2.8%)	87.9	15^th of 266 public middle schools	94.4%		93	9^th of 264 public middle schools	96.6%	6			52.7	59.8			78.0	69.7			66.4	$10,846
Petal Upper Elementary	Public	5-6	400 Hillcrest Loop	Petal	39465	Forrest County	Petal School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 584-7660	632	51	12.3	59.0%	432 (68.4%)	108 (17.1%)	60 (9.5%)	6 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	24 (3.8%)								(n/a)	75.7	62.4			71.3	70.6				76.9		$10,332
N R Burger Middle	Public	7-8	174 Wsf Tatum Drive	Hattiesburg	39401	Forrest County	Hattiesburg	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 582-0536	525	50	10.4	100.0%	14 (2.7%)	424 (80.8%)	60 (11.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.1%)	57.9	114^th of 266 public middle schools	57.1%		46	143^rd of 264 public middle schools	45.8%	29			37.2	43.1			53.3	50.0			52.7	$15,533
Hattiesburg Steam Academy	Public	6	176 WSF Tatum Dr.	Hattiesburg	39401	Forrest County	Hattiesburg	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 582-5291	263	20	13.2	100.0%	10 (3.8%)	210 (79.8%)	27 (10.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (6.1%)								(n/a)		50.4				53.1						$17,689
Oak Grove Middle School	Public	6-8	2543 Old Hwy.24	Hattiesburg	39402	Lamar County	Lamar County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 261-4132	1,160	89	12.9	61.0%	399 (34.4%)	547 (47.2%)	123 (10.6%)	36 (3.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	53 (4.6%)	72.9	69^th of 266 public middle schools	74.1%		75.5	56^th of 264 public middle schools	78.8%	13		54.1	45.2	53.0		52.4	64.6	57.3	97.6		61.2	$9,577
Purvis Middle School	Public	6-8	213 School Street	Purvis	39475	Lamar County	Lamar County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 794-1037	447	31	14.4	51.9%	370 (82.8%)	48 (10.7%)	14 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.9%)	69.2	79^th of 266 public middle schools	70.3%		78.7	50^th of 264 public middle schools	81.1%	29		45.7	37.1	56.6		45.0	76.4	62.7			62.0	$9,831
Perry Central Middle School	Public	6-8	100 8th Ave. South	New Augusta	39462	Perry County	Perry County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 964-3226	178	16	11.2	82.0%	109 (61.2%)	41 (23.0%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (14.6%)	65.4	91^st of 266 public middle schools	65.8%		33.5	176^th of 264 public middle schools	33.3%	85		48.1	35.1	45.0		50.0	66.6	51.7			66.7	$13,057
Sumrall Middle School	Public	6-8	1217 Highway 42	Sumrall	39482	Lamar County	Lamar County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 758-4416	484	35	13.9	40.1%	392 (81.0%)	45 (9.3%)	19 (3.9%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.0%)	86.4	24^th of 266 public middle schools	91.0%		90.3	17^th of 264 public middle schools	93.6%	7		59.7	48.8	66.0		67.1	73.3	63.4	100.0		77.1	$9,670

Frequently Asked Questions about Petal Middle School

How many students attend Petal Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 645 students attended Petal Middle School.

Is Petal Middle School a good school?

Yes. Petal Middle School ranks in the top 5.6% of Mississippi middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of Petal Middle School?

Students at Petal Middle School are 72% White, 18% African American, 6% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of Petal Middle School attend?

Students who attend Petal Middle School usually go on to attend Petal High School

What district is Petal Middle School in?

Petal School District

Rate Petal Middle School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MSMississippi Middle School Rankings

MSMississippi District Rankings

Schools in Petal, MS

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Petal Middle School!

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.