Summary:
Zip code 39462 in Mississippi is home to one middle school, Perry Central Middle School, serving grades 6–8 with 178 students in the Perry County School District. This single-school profile means all attention falls on Perry Central, which stands out for its strong math and science performance despite serving a high-poverty population. The school has improved its state ranking dramatically over three years, moving from the 33rd percentile (2 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 66th percentile (3 stars) in 2024-2025, and settling at the 57th percentile (3 stars) in 2025-2026. It now performs better than its district, which ranks in the 42nd percentile statewide, making it a bright spot in the area.
In recent testing, 7th grade mathematics is a clear strength, with proficiency at 66.6% in 2024-2025 and 71.2% in 2025-2026, both well above state averages of 55.5% and 57.7%. Eighth grade science is similarly impressive, at 66.7% and 67.3% proficient compared to state averages of 54.7% and 57.8%. Overall math averages (grades 6–8) exceeded the state both years, while the school’s ELA performance is more uneven. In 2025-2026, 6th grade ELA dropped to 37.5% proficient and 8th grade ELA fell to 32.7%, both below state averages, though 7th grade ELA improved to 38.4%, just above the state’s 36.7%.
The school also compares favorably on attendance and class size. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 20.1% is lower than the district’s 22.9% and the state’s 23.9%, a notable achievement given that 82% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. With a student-teacher ratio of 11.2:1, Perry Central offers a relatively low class-size environment that may support individualized attention. While the year-over-year swings in ELA scores suggest sensitivity to cohort changes, the school’s consistent outperformance in 7th grade math and 8th grade science, combined with its improved overall ranking, makes it a solid choice for families in this area.
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