Top Rankings
Jackson Public School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Mississippi for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 13 public middle schools serving 3,781 students in Jackson Public School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 2/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in Mississippi.
Public Middle Schools in Jackson Public School District have an average math proficiency score of 21% (versus the Mississippi public middle school average of 46%), and reading proficiency score of 22% (versus the 39% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 99% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the Mississippi public middle school average of 53% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (MS)
# Schools
49 Schools
361 Schools
# Students
17,235 Students
134,558 Students
# Teachers
1,346 Teachers
10,746 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
13:1
13:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Jackson Public School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 148 school districts in Mississippi (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 84% has increased from 71% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#118 out of 148 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
22%
47%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
26%
42%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
31%
55%
Graduation Rate
84%
89%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.12
0.60
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
n/a
1%
% Hispanic
3%
5%
% Black
94%
42%
% White
2%
47%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
1%
4%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $15,361 is higher than the state median of $12,205. The school district revenue/student has grown by 18% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $15,773 is higher than the state median of $12,074. The school district spending/student has grown by 18% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$265 MM
$5,371 MM
Spending
$272 MM
$5,314 MM
Revenue / Student
$15,361
$12,205
Spending / Student
$15,773
$12,074
Best Jackson Public School District Public Middle Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Bailey Middle Apac School
(Math: 56% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
1900 N State Street
Jackson, MS 39213
(601) 987-5343
Jackson, MS 39213
(601) 987-5343
Grades: 6-8
| 267 students
Rank: #22.
Northwest Middle School
(Math: 53% | Reading: 61%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
7020 Highway 49 N
Jackson, MS 39213
(601) 987-3609
Jackson, MS 39213
(601) 987-3609
Grades: 6-8
| 219 students
Rank: #33.
Peeples Middle School
(Math: 23% | Reading: 27%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
2940 Belvedere Drive
Jackson, MS 39212
(601) 346-5660
Jackson, MS 39212
(601) 346-5660
Grades: 6-8
| 273 students
Rank: #44.
Lanier High School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 10-14%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
833 W Maple Street
Jackson, MS 39203
(601) 960-5369
Jackson, MS 39203
(601) 960-5369
Grades: 7-12
| 863 students
Rank: #55.
French Elementary School
Alternative School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 20-24% )
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
311 Joel Avenue
Jackson, MS 39209
(601) 960-5221
Jackson, MS 39209
(601) 960-5221
Grades: 7-12
| n/a students
Rank: #66.
Kirksey Middle School
(Math: 19% | Reading: 18%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
5677 Highland Dr
Jackson, MS 39206
(601) 987-8360
Jackson, MS 39206
(601) 987-8360
Grades: 6-8
| 236 students
Rank: #77.
Chastain Middle School
(Math: 13% | Reading: 19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
4650 Manhattan Road
Jackson, MS 39206
(601) 987-3550
Jackson, MS 39206
(601) 987-3550
Grades: 6-8
| 483 students
Rank: #88.
Blackburn Middle School
(Math: 10% | Reading: 13%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
1311 W Pearl Street
Jackson, MS 39203
(601) 960-5329
Jackson, MS 39203
(601) 960-5329
Grades: 6-8
| 495 students
Rank: #99.
Cardozo Middle School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 12%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
3180 Mcdowell Rd Ext
Jackson, MS 39212
(601) 346-5635
Jackson, MS 39212
(601) 346-5635
Grades: 6-8
| 573 students
Rank: #1010.
Powell Middle School
(Math: 10% | Reading: 6%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
3655 Livingston Road
Jackson, MS 39213
(601) 987-3580
Jackson, MS 39213
(601) 987-3580
Grades: 6-8
| 372 students
Rank: n/an/a
Capital City Alternative School
Alternative School
2221 Boling Street
Jackson, MS 39213
(601) 987-3608
Jackson, MS 39213
(601) 987-3608
Grades: 4-12
| n/a students
Rank: n/an/a
Career Academic Placement Program
Alternative School
311 Joel Avenue
Jackson, MS 39209
(601) 982-5221
Jackson, MS 39209
(601) 982-5221
Grades: 1-12
| n/a students
Rank: n/an/a
Youth Court School
Alternative School
940 East Mcdowell Road
Jackson, MS 39204
(601) 985-3061
Jackson, MS 39204
(601) 985-3061
Grades: 1-12
| n/a students
Recent Articles

Parents’ Guide to Special Education
Special education law is not easy to decipher, with several regulations that govern special education services for disabled students. In this article, learn about the core components of the laws, rights, and individual education plans that can help create the best public school environment for your child.

Surveillance Cameras: Violation of Rights or Improved Security?
A school district in Virginia has given the green light to schools that want to install surveillance cameras in common areas like cafeterias and hallways. We’ll look at whether this is a violation of student privacy or the best way to keep order in schools.

Teachers in 19 States Allowed to Physically Punish Students
As of 2014, nineteen states still allow corporal punishment – spanking and paddling the most common choices – in their public schools. However, some argue that not only are these punishments physically harmful, they also are disproportionately administered to students of color. As a result, House democrats have taken up the issue in a new bill that would ban all forms of corporal punishment nationwide.