Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 39046

Zip code 39046 in Canton, MS is home to three middle schools serving grades 6–8: Nichols Middle School and Huey L Porter Middle in Canton Public Schools, and Shirley D. Simmons Middle School in Madison County Schools.

Huey L Porter is the strongest overall school in the zip code. It ranks #100 out of 260 schools statewide (62nd percentile, 3 stars), and has improved dramatically from the 36th percentile in 2023–2024. It outperforms its district in every tested subject and grade, and beats state averages in 7th and 8th grade ELA and math. Shirley D. Simmons, the smallest school with just 124 students and a 6.3:1 student-teacher ratio, is the science standout: 84.7% proficiency in 8th grade science and 100% proficiency in Algebra I, far above state averages. However, its reading and math scores are inconsistent. Nichols Middle is the school of highest concern, ranking #246 out of 260 (5th percentile, 0 stars) with roughly half the proficiency of Huey Porter. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 37.4% is dramatically higher than the state average of 23.9%.

All three schools serve high-poverty populations, with 94–100% free/reduced lunch eligibility, yet outcomes vary enormously — showing poverty is not destiny. Chronic absenteeism closely tracks with achievement: Nichols has the highest absenteeism and lowest scores, while Simmons has the lowest absenteeism and the best science and Algebra I results. District strength is not a reliable predictor either: Huey Porter actually ranks slightly ahead of Simmons despite being in a much lower-rated district. Huey Porter's rise from the 36th to 62nd percentile is a remarkable success story among high-poverty schools, while Nichols' slip from the 18th back to the 5th percentile suggests an urgent need for intervention around attendance and core instruction.