Iuka Middle School

Iuka Middle School serves 333 students in grades 5–8 in Iuka, Mississippi, and is part of the Tishomingo County School District. The school currently ranks 89th out of 260 Mississippi middle schools with a 3-star rating, placing it in the 66th percentile statewide, though it had dipped to a 2-star rating as recently as 2023–24 before rebounding in the latest rankings.

Science is a genuine standout at Iuka. Fifth-grade science proficiency sits at 76.7%—well above the state average of 71.5%—and 8th-grade science reaches 70.1% versus 57.8% statewide. Iuka outperforms nearby Alcorn Central Middle School, part of the Alcorn School District, by more than 10 points in both science grades. English language arts is generally above the state average, particularly in 8th grade (51.6% vs. 40.9% statewide) and 7th grade (43.4% vs. 36.7%). The clearest concern is mathematics: in all four grades, math proficiency trails the state, most dramatically in 5th grade (32.9% vs. 49.6% statewide), and Alcorn Central outperforms Iuka in every math grade—by especially wide margins in 6th and 7th grades (59.0% vs. 38.8% and 71.4% vs. 48.7%).

On the positive side, chronic absenteeism at Iuka is notably low at 16.7%—below both the district rate of 24.0% and the statewide average of 23.9%—and student-teacher ratios are reasonable at roughly 13 to 1. The school's test scores have swung considerably from year to year, particularly in 8th grade, suggesting individual classes can strongly influence results. Although Iuka serves slightly fewer economically disadvantaged students than Alcorn Central, it still trails its peer in overall performance, pointing to factors beyond poverty—such as curriculum focus and instructional strategies—as areas worth attention. Closing the math gap, especially in the lower middle school grades, remains the clearest path for Iuka to return to the state's top tier.