Top Rankings
Petal School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Mississippi for:
Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 5%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 5%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 5%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 5%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there is 1 public middle school serving 645 students in Petal School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 5% of public middle schools in Mississippi.
Public Middle School in Petal School District have an average math proficiency score of 73% (versus the Mississippi public middle school average of 50%), and reading proficiency score of 55% (versus the 39% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 28% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the Mississippi public middle school average of 54% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (MS)
# Schools
5 Schools
354 Schools
# Students
4,250 Students
130,366 Students
# Teachers
327 Teachers
10,047 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
13:1
13:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Petal School District, which is ranked within the top 5% of all 147 school districts in Mississippi (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 98% has increased from 88% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#5 out of 148 school districts
(Top 5%)
(Top 5%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
74%
52%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
60%
42%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
76%
55%
Graduation Rate
98%
89%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.50
0.63
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
1%
% Hispanic
9%
6%
% Black
18%
40%
% White
68%
46%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $10,403 in this school district is less than the state median of $12,408. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $9,714 is less than the state median of $12,276. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$44 MM
$5,371 MM
Spending
$41 MM
$5,314 MM
Revenue / Student
$10,403
$12,408
Spending / Student
$9,714
$12,276
Best Petal School District Public Middle Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Petal Middle School
(Math: 73% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
203 East Central Avenue
Petal, MS 39465
(601) 584-6301
Petal, MS 39465
(601) 584-6301
Gr: 7-8 | 645 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 28%
Recent Articles
AI Report Cards: Should Schools Evaluate AI Use?
Explore whether schools should assess student AI use, the benefits, risks, and what responsible AI report cards could look like in 2026.
The Parent’s Guide to School Cell Phone Bans in 2026
Learn how school cell phone bans work in 2026, why districts are adopting them, and what parents should expect.
Parental Involvement in Public Schools: 2026 Update
Explore the latest 2026 trends, research, and strategies shaping parental involvement in public schools and student success.
