Summary:
Zip code 38851 contains just one middle school, Houston Middle School, serving grades 6 through 8. Houston Middle enrolls 352 students and operates within the Chickasaw County School District, which ranks in the 62nd percentile statewide. The school serves a high-poverty population, with 78.41% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 11.6 to 1.
Houston Middle's strongest subject is mathematics. Its overall math proficiency of 55.1% edges out the state average of 53.9%, and 7th grade math stands out at 61% proficiency, above both district and state levels. English Language Arts remains a persistent weakness, particularly in grades 7 and 8, where proficiency rates of 27.1% and 28.6% trail state averages by roughly 10 points. The most alarming drop is in 8th grade science, which plummeted from 47.9% to 35.7% in one year, creating a 22.1-point gap behind the state. The 6th grade did show a remarkable 13.9-point improvement in ELA, nearly reaching the state average.
Chronic absenteeism is a significant concern, affecting 28.5% of students, nearly 5 percentage points above the state rate. The school's state ranking has fallen for three consecutive years, from the 56th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 46th percentile in 2025-2026. Notably, Houston Middle is underperforming its district, which is ranked 51st of 134 districts, indicating that district-wide strengths are not fully reaching this campus. Despite the favorable student-teacher ratio, low ELA and science scores suggest the need for targeted interventions and improved attendance.
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