Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 39501

In zip code 39501, there is exactly one middle school, Gulfport Central Middle, which serves grades 6–8 and enrolls 568 students as part of the Gulfport School District. This is a high-poverty school, with nearly all students (99.82%) eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, yet it maintains a favorable student–teacher ratio of 11.4, meaning class sizes are relatively small and students may get more individual attention. The school consistently earns a 2-star rating and ranks in the 37th–41st percentile statewide, while its district earns 4 stars and ranks in the 72nd percentile — a notable gap that shows this school is struggling more than the district average.

In the most recent school year, Gulfport Central Middle fell below district and state averages in every subject and grade level. The average ELA proficiency was 36.6%, compared to 50.0% for the district and 41.9% for the state; math proficiency averaged 40.5%, versus 57.2% for the district and 53.9% for the state; and 8th-grade science was 47.2%, compared to 61.2% for the district and 57.8% for the state. The widest gaps appeared in 7th-grade math, where only 36.1% of students were proficient versus a 57.7% state average. Seventh grade appears to be the hardest year here, with both ELA and math scores at their lowest in that grade across two years of data. The school’s relative strength is 8th-grade science, which came closest to the state average in the previous year.

One positive finding is that chronic absenteeism is lower than expected given the poverty level: 16.8% of students are chronically absent, compared to 21.5% for the district and 23.9% for the state, suggesting attendance is relatively strong. Year-over-year changes were mixed — some grades improved slightly, others declined, and 8th-grade math stayed flat. Overall, Gulfport Central Middle appears stable but stagnant, with a clear need to boost math performance, especially for 7th graders, while building on its science success and solid attendance to improve its 2-star rating.