Petal Upper Elementary

Petal Upper Elementary is a junior high of reasonably sized scale in PETAL, Mississippi, operated by Petal School District, works with 632 students in grades 5 through 6. Enrollment runs roughly 40% larger than the state mean of about 452.

Across the 5 schools in Petal School District (4,253 students total), Petal Upper Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Petal Upper Elementary lists that the largest single group is White, at 68% of enrollment. Beyond that, the school lists 17% Black, 9% Hispanic, 4% multiracial. By comparison, Forrest County as a whole is about 57% White, so the school skews meaningfully more White than its surroundings.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Petal Upper Elementary has 51 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 12.4:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.7:1, putting Petal Upper Elementary tighter than the state norm the norm. Roughly 59% of students at Petal Upper Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Forrest County (around 79%), the school's rate is somewhat below typical.

Across the wider county, the surrounding county (Forrest County) shows that median household income runs about $53,640, roughly 31% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 16%. In all, Forrest County runs 21 public schools (combined enrollment of about 10,857 students), of which Petal Upper Elementary is one.

The closest other public school is Petal Middle School, roughly 0.8 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

The school occupies a suburban site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count expanded 3%: 612 students in 2018 compared to 632 in 2025. The Hispanic share of enrollment rose from 4% to 9% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 15.3:1 in 2018 to 12.4:1 today.

On this page, members of the Petal Upper Elementary community share and discuss classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.