Summary:
Zip code 39365 contains just one middle school, Union Middle School, serving grades 5 through 8 in Union, Mississippi, with 286 students enrolled in the highly ranked Union Public School District. The school serves a student population where nearly 99% qualify for free or reduced lunch, placing it in a very high economic need category, yet it consistently outperforms state averages in most subjects. The district itself ranks 19th out of 134 districts in Mississippi, placing it in the 86th percentile with a 4-star rating.
Union Middle School has earned 4 stars in each of the past three school years, ranking in the 71st to 82nd percentile statewide. One of its biggest strengths is attendance: the school's chronic absenteeism rate is just 13.4%, far better than the district average of 19.0% and the state average of 23.9%. Academically, math stands out as a clear strength. In 2024-2025, the school outperformed the state by double digits in every grade for math, including a 17.9-point advantage in 5th grade. Science proficiency in 5th and 8th grades was also strong in 2024-2025, with 8th grade science hitting 74.3% versus 54.7% statewide. English Language Arts results were above state averages in most grades as well, with particular strength in the lower grades.
However, there are some cautionary trends. In 2025-2026, 8th grade ELA proficiency dropped from 59.4% to 43.7%, and 8th grade science fell from 74.3% to 54.3%, landing slightly below the state average. The school's statewide ranking has also slipped from the 82nd percentile in 2023-2024 to the 71st percentile in 2025-2026, though it remains above the state median. Overall, lower grades tend to perform stronger than upper grades, and the school's student-teacher ratio of 14.2 is reasonable. Despite the recent declines in 8th grade, Union Middle School remains a strong choice in the area, demonstrating notable academic resilience given its high poverty population, strong math results, and excellent attendance record.
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