Summary:
The 39520 zip code is home to a single standout middle school, Bay Waveland Middle School, which serves grades 6-8. This school is part of the highly-ranked Bay St Louis Waveland School District, which is ranked 7th out of 130 districts in Mississippi and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.
Bay Waveland Middle School has consistently ranked in the top 25% of middle schools in Mississippi over the past 3 school years, with a ranking as high as 33rd out of 264 schools in 2023-2024. The school's academic performance, as measured by proficiency rates on the MAAP assessments, exceeds the state averages across multiple grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2024-2025, 6th grade students had 57.4% proficiency in ELA and 73.8% in Math, compared to state averages of 46.7% and 52.9% respectively. The school maintains a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 12:1, which likely contributes to its strong academic outcomes.
Despite the school's academic excellence, it serves a population with significant socioeconomic challenges, as indicated by the fact that 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. However, the school's ability to overcome these barriers and support student success is a testament to the dedication and effectiveness of its educators and the strong support from the district-level leadership.
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