Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 39401

Zip code 39401 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi is home to two public middle schools—N R Burger Middle and Hattiesburg STEAM Academy—that together serve grades 6 through 8 and enroll 788 students in the Hattiesburg school district. Both schools serve a student population where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the district itself is rated 3 stars, ranking 48th out of 134 districts in Mississippi. The two schools form a clear feeder relationship: Hattiesburg STEAM Academy educates only 6th graders, while N R Burger Middle serves 7th and 8th graders, combining to create one complete middle school pathway for families in this high-poverty community.

When comparing the two schools, N R Burger Middle is clearly on an upward trajectory. Its state ranking improved from the 46th percentile in 2023–2024 to the 58th percentile in 2025–2026, and its 8th grade math proficiency reached 59.9%—8.5 points above the state average. That is a standout result for a school with a 100% poverty rate. However, Burger shows a significant math-versus-ELA split, with 8th grade ELA proficiency at just 35.0% versus 59.9% in math. Hattiesburg STEAM Academy, by contrast, posted strong results in 2024–2025, beating state averages in both 6th grade ELA and math, but then saw a sharp decline in 2025–2026. ELA proficiency fell from 50.4% to 38.4%, and math fell from 53.1% to 46.8%, leaving the school well below state averages.

Other key metrics also distinguish the two schools. N R Burger Middle has a lower student-teacher ratio (10.4:1) but a higher chronic absenteeism rate (26.1%), above both the district and state averages. Hattiesburg STEAM Academy has a higher ratio (13.2:1) but better attendance, at 20.5%. The two schools share adjacent addresses on WSF Tatum Drive, making the grade split even more notable. For parents, the bottom line is that zip code 39401 offers a single 6th–8th grade pathway, with N R Burger Middle showing real improvement and strength in math, while Hattiesburg STEAM Academy's recent decline in 6th grade scores is worth monitoring closely.