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 2025 school year, there are 5 public schools serving 4,400 students in Petal School District. This district's average testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 5% of public schools in Mississippi.
Public Schools in Petal School District have an average math proficiency score of 74% (versus the Mississippi public school average of 53%), and reading proficiency score of 59% (versus the 42% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 31% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the Mississippi public school average of 58% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (MS)
# Schools
5 Schools
1,043 Schools
# Students
4,400 Students
440,091 Students
# Teachers
333 Teachers
33,811 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
0.49
0.61
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
1%
% Hispanic
6%
5%
% Black
18%
47%
% White
69%
42%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
4%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $10,048 in this school district is less than the state median of $12,205. The school district revenue/student has declined by 6% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $9,383 is less than the state median of $12,074. The school district spending/student has declined by 6% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$44 MM
$5,371 MM
Spending
$41 MM
$5,314 MM
Revenue / Student
$10,048
$12,205
Spending / Student
$9,383
$12,074
Best Petal School District Public Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Petal High School
(Math: 91% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
1145 Highway 42 E
Petal, MS 39465
(601) 583-3538
Petal, MS 39465
(601) 583-3538
Gr: 9-12 | 1,335 student Student-Teacher Ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 32%
Rank: #22.
Petal Elementary School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
1179 Hwy 42 E
Petal, MS 39465
(601) 582-7454
Petal, MS 39465
(601) 582-7454
Gr: 3-4 | 631 students Student-Teacher Ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 32%
Rank: #33.
Petal Upper Elementary School
(Math: 68% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
400 Hillcrest Loop
Petal, MS 39465
(601) 584-7660
Petal, MS 39465
(601) 584-7660
Gr: 5-6 | 665 students Student-Teacher Ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 28%
Rank: #44.
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 | 680 students Student-Teacher Ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 30%
Rank: n/an/a
60 Herrington Road
Petal, MS 39465
(601) 554-7244
Petal, MS 39465
(601) 554-7244
Gr: PK-2 | 1,089 student Student-Teacher Ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 32%
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools belong to Petal School District?
Petal School District manages 5 public schools serving 4,400 students.
What is the rank of Petal School District?
Petal School District is ranked #5 out of 147 school districts in Mississippi (top 5%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2022-2023 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of Mississippi school districts for: Highest overall rank (Top 5%), Highest math proficiency (Top 5%), Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 5%), Highest science proficiency (Top 5%), Highest graduation rate (Top 1%) and Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Petal School District?
69% of Petal School District students are White, 18% of students are Black, 6% of students are Hispanic, 6% of students are Two or more races, and 1% of students are Asian.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Petal School District?
Petal School District has a student/teacher ratio of 13:1, which is equal to the Mississippi state average of 13:1.
What is Petal School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $9,383 is less than the state median of $12,074. The school district spending/student has declined by 6% over four school years.
Recent Articles
Opinion: Handcuffing in Public Schools is a Gateway to More Violence
Some districts are banning handcuffing, while others are cuffing kindergarteners simply throwing a temper tantrum. Read this editorial to see why this author believes slapping the cuffs on children’s wrists only leads to more behavior issues and violence in their adult lives.
Whooping Cough: Should Vaccinations be Required for Public School Enrollment?
Whopping cough is making a comeback, especially amongst children, prompting health officials to encourage pertussis vaccines and boosters. However, should the pertussis vaccine be required for public school enrollment? Learn about current proposed laws and its ramifications.
What are Common Core Standards and Why Do We Need Them?
With schools nationwide adopting common core standards, we’ll take a look at what they are, their benefits, and how they will change the face of public education.
