The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in Science. The lowest is 35% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Byram Middle School
Byram Middle School sits in Terry, a small residential town in southeastern Hinds County along Interstate 55, roughly fifteen miles southwest of Jackson. The school serves grades six through eight and is part of the Hinds County School District. Terry began as a railroad depot stop on the Illinois Central line and retains a compact civic core along Cunningham Avenue, where City Hall, the public library, and the Village Square park cluster together. The town is low-density and auto-oriented; daily life depends heavily on personal vehicles, with I-55 connecting residents north to Jackson and south to Crystal Springs. Byram borders Terry to the north, and the school carries that neighboring city's name though its address is in Terry. The built environment is what you would expect of a small Mississippi town along an interstate: a historic downtown strip, surrounding residential streets, and school campuses set back from the commercial center. Terry has seen modest population growth over recent census cycles, and its position within the Jackson metropolitan area gives it potential for commuter-driven residential demand, though no major new housing developments or commercial projects were documented in the available research.
The housing market in the school's zip code sits above the state benchmark but well below the national figure, making it relatively affordable by national standards while carrying a premium relative to much of Mississippi. The price-to-income ratio is modest, and estimated monthly mortgage costs are meaningfully higher than local rents, which may influence whether families buying into the area are owner-occupants or renters. The broader economic backdrop includes a national unemployment rate that has held steady in a low range, and median household income that has drifted upward in real terms over the past several years.
The school's enrollment is sizable for a middle school serving three grades. Its student body is predominantly Black, with small percentages of White, multiracial, Hispanic, and Asian students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the surrounding community. Data on individualized education programs and English learner services was not available, so those population sizes are unknown here.
On the most recent Mississippi Academic Assessment Program results, Byram Middle's proficiency patterns vary across grades and subjects in ways a parent may want to look into further with the school. In math, seventh graders performed strongest, with nearly half testing proficient or above, while sixth and eighth grade math proficiency landed lower, with roughly a third of students meeting that bar in each. English language arts results were more uniform across the three grades, with proficiency rates clustering in the low-to-mid thirties range, seventh grade being the lowest of the three. Science results for eighth grade stood out as the school's strongest showing, with a majority of tested students reaching proficient or above. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible from the provided information to say whether these results represent improvement, decline, or stability over time. Participation rates for the assessments were also missing from the data.
Beyond test scores, the available data thins out considerably. Information on discipline, course access, staffing ratios, attendance, and school climate was not provided. The school's Title I status was not reported, and its magnet status was listed as null rather than confirmed one way or the other. No program offerings, such as advanced coursework, arts, or career exploration pathways, were included in the data. Civil rights and outcomes data was absent as well. The Hinds County School District brief noted no recently reported parent-relevant changes, so there is little here to signal shifts in leadership, policy, or programming that a family should be aware of right now.
What the available picture does convey is a mid-sized middle school serving a predominantly Black student population in a small, affordable, commuter-oriented town within the Jackson metro area. Its academic results are mixed across grades and subjects, with a clear bright spot in eighth grade science and a relative strength in seventh grade math, alongside lower proficiency in sixth grade math and across English language arts. Families considering this school would benefit from asking directly about supports for students performing below proficiency, what enrichment or intervention programs exist, and how the school tracks progress from year to year, since trend data was not available to assess that here.
See more original research from School Decision →