Summary:
Zip code 38849 contains just one middle school, Guntown Middle School, serving grades 6–8 with 674 students in the Lee County district. Guntown Middle School is rated 3 stars and holds a 51st percentile rank within its district, but its statewide percentile has slipped from the 66th to the 57th over the past two years.
For parents, the big picture is a school with clear strengths and a few warning signs. The strongest subject is 8th grade science, with 65.5% of students proficient in the most recent year—nearly 8 points above the state average. Eighth grade English language arts is also a bright spot, beating both district and state averages. However, math is a growing concern: proficiency dropped in every grade between 2024–2025 and 2025–2026, with 6th grade falling 6.3 points, 7th grade down 5.2 points, and 8th grade down 7.1 points. In the earlier year, 7th and 8th grade math were above the state average; now all three grades fall below it. Seventh grade ELA is the weakest subject at 35.6% proficient, though it remains slightly above the district average.
On a more positive note, chronic absenteeism at Guntown Middle School is just 14.5%, far below the district rate of 26.2% and state rate of 23.9%. The student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1 is favorable, suggesting smaller class sizes. Just over half of students (51.93%) qualify for free/reduced lunch, indicating moderate economic need. Despite that, the school posts competitive results in science and 8th grade ELA, and attendance is a clear strength. The main takeaway for parents is that Guntown Middle School has solid areas—especially science and 8th grade ELA—but the recent slide in math proficiency and the steady drop in statewide percentile are trends worth watching closely.
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