- Enrollment
- 1,324
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Petal, MS
Petal Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Petal Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 280353000005
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Petal Middle School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Petal · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 62.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Petal Middle School has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Petal Middle School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Petal, MS.
School address
District: Petal School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280353000005 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-65 students YoY
Petal Middle School shrank from 745 students in 2022-23 to 680 in 2023-24 (-8.7%).
Teacher FTE added 48.4 → 51.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-65 students YoY 280353000005 · Petal, MS Middle · MID · TRAD
645 enr · 13.4:1 · 62.1% lunch · RII 31
Nearest enrollment peer: Petal High School (1,324 students)
Petal Middle School shrank from 745 students in 2022-23 to 680 in 2023-24 (-8.7%). Teacher FTE added 48.4 → 51.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Mississippi schools → · Find another →
Petal Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Petal High Sch
Petal High School
1,324 students
- Petal Primary
Petal Primary School
1,016 students
- This school
Petal Middle School
645 students
- Petal Elementa
Petal Elementary
636 students
- Petal Upper El
Petal Upper Elementary School
632 students
What this shows Petal Middle School reports 645 students on the CCD universe file.
How Petal Middle School compares
Petal Middle School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.4:1 | ▲ 1% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.1% | ▼ 23% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 645 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
645
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
62.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% below the Mississippi average of 80.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 53% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
21.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$11,258
per pupil, district-wide
- below Mississippi avg of $13,683
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 645 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
128
in-school suspensions + 38 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 19.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 72.4%
African American 18.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
Two or More 2.8%
Asian 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 72.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.9, Petal Middle School is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
District finance for Petal School Dist reports $11,258 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Petal Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petal High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Petal Primary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Petal Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Petal Upper Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Petal Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,016
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 636
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 632
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~645 students)
Frequently asked questions about Petal Middle School
How many students attend Petal Middle School?
Petal Middle School has 645 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Petal, MS. CCD year-over-year: 745 (2022-23) → 680 (2023-24), down 65.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Petal Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Petal Middle School is 13.4:1, which is 1% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 15% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Petal Middle School?
62.1% of students at Petal Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Petal Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Petal Middle School is White at 72.4% of enrollment, in Petal, MS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Petal Middle School?
Petal Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Petal Middle School rank among public schools in Petal?
By Resource Investment Index, Petal Middle School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Petal, MS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Petal on the city page.
What other schools are in Petal School Dist?
Besides Petal Middle School, Petal School Dist also operates Petal High School (1,324 students), Petal Primary School (1,016 students), and Petal Elementary (636 students). See the Petal School Dist district page for the complete list.