Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 39051

Zip code 39051, serving the Carthage, Mississippi area, is home to one middle school, Leake Central Junior High School, which serves grades 6 through 8 and enrolls 383 students. As the only middle school in this area, the school operates within the Leake County School District and has a student-teacher ratio of 14:1. The school is high-poverty, with 100% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, and it currently ranks in the bottom quarter of Mississippi middle schools at 209 out of 260, earning 1 star. Its statewide percentile ranking has slipped over the past three years, from the 30th percentile in 2023–2024 to the 20th percentile in 2025–2026.

Academically, Leake Central shows a mixed picture. Across all grade levels, English Language Arts proficiency is below state averages, with gaps ranging from roughly 8 to 21 percentage points. A notable decline occurred in 6th grade ELA, which dropped from 36.5% proficient in 2024–2025 to 27.0% in 2025–2026. Math performance is relatively stronger, especially in 7th grade, where 47.1% of students are proficient—only about 11 points below the state average and well above the district average. The school also posted a perfect 100% proficiency rate on the Algebra I End-of-Course exam in 2024–2025, though this likely reflects a small, select group of advanced students. In 8th grade science, 40.8% of students met proficiency, outperforming the district average of 38.2% but still trailing the state.

Despite the challenges of 100% poverty, Leake Central has a chronic absenteeism rate of 20.4%, which is better than both the district (23.8%) and state (23.9%). The school often matches or exceeds its district averages in subjects like 7th grade math, 8th grade math, and 8th grade science, indicating it is not the weakest link in its district. However, given the declining ELA scores and slipping statewide rank, families should be aware that literacy and early middle school math are critical areas for improvement. The school’s relative strengths in math, advanced Algebra I performance, and attendance are promising signs, but the overall data suggests continued support is needed, especially in English Language Arts.