The top reported proficiency rate is 26% in Science. The lowest is 15% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Central Middle School
Central Middle School sits in New Madrid, a small Mississippi River town that serves as the county seat of New Madrid County. The town blends residential streets, county government offices, and modest tourism tied to its 19th-century earthquake history and river heritage. A coal plant, the school district, and county government are among the largest employers, and the population has been stable to slowly declining. This environment shapes the school context: a single middle school for grades six through eight within the New Madrid County R-I district.
The school’s enrollment is modest for its grade band. Every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which means the entire student body comes from low-income households. The student population is predominantly white, with a substantial Black student group and a small Hispanic enrollment; the remainder are students who identify with two or more races.
State assessment results in math and English language arts show that proficiency rates are well below statewide averages. Across all three tested grades in math, the share of students meeting the proficient benchmark is low, and the rate drops further from sixth to eighth grade. English language arts results are similar, with proficiency rates that remain low across all three grades. Eighth-grade science results are also low. When compared with districts in New Madrid County, the school sits in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. There is no graduation rate to report because the school does not serve high school grades. A parent may want to ask the school directly about the specific instructional supports in place for students who are not yet at grade level.
The district brief turned up no recent changes or initiatives that would alter a family’s understanding of the school. No program offerings data was available, so it is unclear what elective, enrichment, or intervention courses Central Middle School provides beyond the core subjects. Likewise, discipline data, chronic absenteeism, staffing ratios, and information on students with disabilities or English learners were not present in the available records. A parent considering this school should expect to ask the principal or district office about course offerings, student support structures, and the school’s approach to moving students toward proficiency.
Housing in the New Madrid area is very affordable relative to national and state benchmarks, and the local median home value reflects a low-cost market. The town is low-density and not experiencing growth; no new housing developments or commercial expansion projects were found in public sources. Most errands require driving, as the town’s walkability is limited to a short stretch of Main Street.
Central Middle School serves a community that is economically distressed, and the academic results on state tests are weak across subjects and grades. The school’s small size may allow for relationships and individualized attention, but the data does not speak to the quality of those relationships. Without information on course access, staffing, or support programs, a family would need to gather that context directly from the school to understand the full picture of daily life and academic expectations for their child.
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