Summary:
Zip code 38632 in Hernando, Mississippi is served by two public middle schools—Hernando Middle School and Lewisburg Middle School—both part of the DeSoto County School District, offering grades 6 through 8 to a combined 2,179 students. These are two of the strongest middle schools in Mississippi, with Lewisburg ranking #2 and Hernando ranking #20 out of 260 middle schools statewide in 2025–2026, both earning 5-star ratings. Together they form a remarkably high-performing cluster that far exceeds district and state averages in nearly every subject.
Lewisburg Middle School is the overall academic standout, ranking in the 99th percentile with exceptional math results: 85.9% of 6th graders, 90.9% of 7th graders, and 86.0% of 8th graders were proficient in math, along with a perfect 100% Algebra I EOC pass rate. Hernando Middle School, while slightly behind in math, dominates in science, outpacing Lewisburg in 8th-grade science in both 2024–2025 (76.2% vs. 70.8%) and 2025–2026 (76.6% vs. 74.3%). Hernando also has better attendance, with a 20.1% chronic absenteeism rate compared to Lewisburg's 22.7%, and this comes despite Hernando serving a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (26.97% free/reduced lunch vs. 21.79% at Lewisburg).
Both schools significantly outpace the DeSoto County School District, which ranks 45th out of 134 districts statewide. Hernando's ranking slipped from #7 to #20 in recent years, though it remains in the top 8% of all Mississippi middle schools. For families choosing between these two excellent options, Lewisburg offers the highest overall rank and superior math achievement, while Hernando provides a slightly stronger science program, lower chronic absenteeism, and a larger student body of 1,183 students.
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