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Petal High School

Q: Is Petal High School a good school?

Petal High School ranks 45 th of 224 Mississippi high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

45^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 224 Mississippi High Schools

Better than 80% of Mississippi high schools

Summary

Petal High School in Petal, MS, serves 1,324 students in grades 9–12 and sits within the Petal School District, which ranks 11th in Mississippi with a 5-star rating. This district strength sets Petal apart from neighboring districts like Lamar County School District (30th), Jones County School District (34th), and Hattiesburg (48th). The school itself has historically been a top-25 performer, though its 2025–26 state ranking slipped to 45th, still placing it in the top 20% of high schools.

Academically, Petal leads nearby schools in math and English. In 2025–26, 83.4% of students passed Algebra I, the highest among peers including Oak Grove High School (82.1%) and North Forrest High School (80.3%). English II proficiency was 63.6%, also tops, followed by Oak Grove at 61.4%. However, Biology is a soft spot: only 66.8% passed, below South Jones High School (79.8%), Oak Grove (75.7%), and North Forrest (75.6%). This subject-specific gap has widened over recent years, though U.S. History remains strong at 84.7%.

Petal's graduation rate is 95.8%, above the state average of 89.2%. Chronic absenteeism has risen sharply from 6.3% in 2020–21 to 19.7% in 2023–24, though it remains below the state's 23.9%. Free/reduced lunch eligibility is around 54.8%, indicating a moderate poverty level despite high outcomes. While the recent ranking drop and Biology decline are worth monitoring, Petal's strong district, excellent math and English scores, and solid graduation rate make it a compelling choice for families seeking a high-achieving public school.

1,324

Students ?

12.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,261

Per pupil spending ?

54.8%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

1145 Highway 42 E
Petal, MS 39465

(601) 545-1229

District: Petal School District

Feeder schools for Petal High School:

Elementary:	Petal Elementary 3-4
	Petal Primary School
Middle:	Petal Middle School
	Petal Upper Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

67.6%

African American:

18.4%

Hispanic:

9.6%

See top rated Mississippi high schools

Compare Petal High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 91st percentile in 2016 → 80th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Mississippi average (70% vs 60% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 20% of Mississippi high schools

✓96% graduate in 4 years — above the Mississippi average (89%)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 11 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school70%

District avg70%

Mississippi avg60%

45^th of 224

Mississippi public high schools ?

Top 20%▼ down 11 pts since 2016

From top 9% (2016) to top 20% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Mississippi High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

11^th of 133Petal 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
2026	73.6	45 of 224	79.9%	★★★★☆
2025	84.2	23 of 232	90.1%	★★★★★
2024	84.7	18 of 228	92.1%	★★★★★
2023	85.6	13 of 223	94.2%	★★★★★
2022	82.8	23 of 223	89.7%	★★★★★
2021	86.9	11 of 224	95.1%	★★★★★
2019	88.8	10 of 221	95.5%	★★★★★
2018	86.0	13 of 214	93.9%	★★★★★
2017	87.5	12 of 237	94.9%	★★★★★
2016	83.1	20 of 231	91.3%	★★★★★
2015	83.0	13 of 226	94.2%	★★★★★
2014	84.4	11 of 236	95.3%	★★★★★
2013	84.0	8 of 238	96.6%	★★★★★
2012	84.3	11 of 241	95.4%	★★★★★
2011	81.2	12 of 244	95.1%	★★★★★
2010	82.6	8 of 235	96.6%	★★★★★
2009	82.3	4 of 235	98.3%	★★★★★
2008	83.0	9 of 235	96.2%	★★★★★
2007	73.7	46 of 232	80.2%	★★★★☆
2006	78.9	10 of 232	95.7%	★★★★★
2005	76.3	26 of 232	88.8%	★★★★☆
2004	78.6	13 of 232	94.4%	★★★★★

By subject vs Mississippi (2025-2026) ?

Algebra I83%+17 vs state

Biology67%+4 vs state

English II64%+14 vs state

★

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Schools Near Petal High School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MAAP English Language Arts (2026)		MAAP Mathematics (2026)		MAAP Algebra I (2026)	MAAP English II (2026)	MAAP Science (2026)	MAAP Biology (2026)	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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MAAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MAAP Algebra I End of Course	MAAP English II End of Course	MAAP Science 8th Grade	MAAP Biology End of Course	Total
Petal High School	Public	9-12	1145 Highway 42 E	Petal	39465	Forrest County	Petal School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 545-1229	1,324	103	12.8	54.8%	895 (67.6%)	244 (18.4%)	127 (9.6%)	7 (0.5%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (3.7%)	73.6	45^th of 224 public high schools	79.9%		84.2	23^rd of 232 public high schools	90.1%	22					83.4	63.6		66.8	$11,261
Hattiesburg High School	Public	9-12	301 Hutchinson Ave	Hattiesburg	39401	Forrest County	Hattiesburg	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 544-0811	1,014	83	12.2	—	11 (1.1%)	867 (85.5%)	90 (8.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (4.4%)	40.5	131^st of 224 public high schools	41.5%		39.9	145^th of 232 public high schools	37.5%	14					67.6	44.1		49.5	$15,291
North Forrest High School	Public	7-12	693 Eatonville Road	Hattiesburg	39401	Forrest County	Forrest County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 545-9304	349	36	9.6	90.0%	61 (17.5%)	220 (63.0%)	30 (8.6%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	35 (10.0%)	72.6	49^th of 224 public high schools	78.1%		53.8	113^th of 232 public high schools	51.3%	64	41.6	50.8	47.9	29.9	80.3	51.1	59.6	75.6	$16,773
Oak Grove High School	Public	9-12	5198 Old Highway11	Hattiesburg	39402	Forrest County	Lamar County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 264-7232	1,750	122	14.3	52.1%	735 (42.0%)	726 (41.5%)	165 (9.4%)	57 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.2%)	63 (3.6%)	81.2	27^th of 224 public high schools	87.9%		82.7	32^nd of 232 public high schools	86.2%	5					82.1	61.4		75.7	$11,373
Richton High School	Public	7-12	701 Elm Avenue	Richton	39476	Perry County	Richton School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 788-9608	281	22	12.6	61.6%	184 (65.5%)	69 (24.6%)	5 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (8.2%)	58	97^th of 224 public high schools	56.7%		47.9	123^rd of 232 public high schools	47.0%	26	26.1	27.3	69.6	40.9	78.5	48.0	36.3	58.3	$11,593
Perry Central High School	Public	9-12	9899 Hwy 98 East	New Augusta	39462	Perry County	Perry County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 964-3235	262	20	12.8	81.3%	142 (54.2%)	59 (22.5%)	5 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (21.4%)	46.4	118^th of 224 public high schools	47.3%		27.5	163^rd of 232 public high schools	29.7%	45					67.2	47.5		47.2	$18,721
Perry County Vocational Complex	Public	8-12	9899 A Hwy 98 East	New Augusta	39462	Perry County	Perry County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 964-8282	0	0	.0	—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
South Jones High School	Public	7-12	313 Anderson Street	Ellisville	39437	Jones County	Jones County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 477-8451	1,300	97	13.4	64.5%	875 (67.3%)	232 (17.8%)	159 (12.2%)	6 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (2.1%)	70.2	61^st of 224 public high schools	72.8%		78.7	44^th of 232 public high schools	81.0%	17	40.3	39.8	71.2	58.2	71.1	52.5	42.8	79.8	$9,998
Lamar County Vocational Technical Center	Public	8-12	41 College Drive	Purvis	39475	Lamar County	Lamar County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 794-8298	0	0		—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Purvis High School	Public	9-12	220 School Street	Purvis	39475	Lamar County	Lamar County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 794-6221	614	49	12.5	49.8%	502 (81.8%)	61 (9.9%)	26 (4.2%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.6%)	64.7	76^th of 224 public high schools	66.1%		68.3	77^th of 232 public high schools	66.8%	1					64.5	57.8		70.1	$12,500

Frequently Asked Questions about Petal High School

Is Petal High School a good school?

Petal High School ranks 45^th of 224 Mississippi high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Petal High School in?

Petal School District

What is the racial makeup of Petal High School?

Students at Petal High School are 68% White, 18% African American, 10% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

How many students attend Petal High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,324 students attended Petal High School.

What schools feed into Petal High School?

Petal High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Petal Elementary 3-4
Elementary : Petal Primary School
Middle : Petal Middle School
Middle : Petal Upper Elementary

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Latest Mississippi data All new data »

2024–25 attendance dataNewOct 6, 2026

2025–26 MAAP test scoresAug 21, 2026

2023–24 school spending dataSep 26, 2025

2023–24 through 2024–25 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 26, 2025

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.