Petal School District
Petal School District is a public PreK-12 school district in Petal, Mississippi, serving 4,200+ students across five schools with a focus on academic excellence, career-technical education, and community-supported learning since 1976.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersPetal, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Petal School District does
Petal School District is a public PreK-12 school district headquartered at 115 East Central Avenue in Petal, Mississippi, serving more than 4,200 students across five schools: Petal Primary (PreK-2), Petal Elementary (3-4), Petal Upper Elementary (5-6), Petal Middle (7-8), and Petal High School (9-12). Founded in 1976 when the City of Petal was incorporated specifically to create a separate school district, the district operates as a state government entity governed by a five-member Board of Trustees. It employs 501-1,000 staff including 74 National Board-Certified teachers, and has been led by Superintendent Dr. Matt Dillon since 2014. Academic outcomes are notably strong for a Mississippi public district, including a 95-97.8% graduation rate (consistently the highest in the state), a 98.3% third-grade literacy-based promotion rate, and an 'A' accountability rating from the Mississippi Department of Education. Petal High School holds National Blue Ribbon School recognition, and a Milken Educator Award recipient is on faculty. The district offers 17 AP and dual credit courses, an expanding Career & Technical Education portfolio (Utility Lineman with Chain Electric, culinary arts, health science, polymer science, IT), English Learner services for 199 students representing 13 languages, special education including Project SEARCH, and 25+ athletic and fine arts activities. A dedicated PSD Police Force provides campus security at each school.
The district's operating model is publicly funded through three primary streams: (1) local ad valorem property taxes (including a 4.5 mil increase tied to the 2023 bond referendum), (2) Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) state allocations, and (3) federal Title I-IV program funding. A $39.2 million bond referendum passed in May 2023 with over 80% approval is funding a new elementary school opening 2026-27, a multi-purpose facility at the high school (spring 2026), and tennis/pickleball courts (completed January 2025). The district's technology stack includes a one-to-one Chromebook initiative, Canvas and Google Classroom as primary learning management systems, NWEA and Edulastic for assessment, Imagine Learning for EL instruction, ActiveParent and ActiveStudent portals, SchoolStatus for emergency communications, and Solana/Horizon Software (via SchoolCafe and MyPaymentsPlus) for cafeteria meal management. The Petal Education Foundation, an affiliated nonprofit, administers over $724,550 in cumulative scholarships (1,000+ awarded) and supports teacher mini-grants and early-childhood programs including Dolly Parton Imagination Library. The University of Southern Mississippi partnership since 2014 sustains both a leadership pipeline (Petal U) and a teacher residency program for recruitment and retention. No private equity, venture, or individual ownership interests are applicable; the district is funded entirely through public appropriations, property taxes, and private donations.
Petal School District firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Petal School District
- Legal name
- Petal School District
- Website
- https://petalschools.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Petal School District is a public PreK-12 school district in Petal, Mississippi, serving 4,200+ students across five schools with a focus on academic excellence, career-technical education, and community-supported learning since 1976.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Petal School District industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public K-12 Education Services
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Public Magnet & Specialty Schools (STEM/Arts/IB/CTE) (EDAJAAAF)
Keywords
Where Petal School District is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Petal
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Petal School District business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Ad Valorem Property Taxes: Local property tax revenue supporting district operations, with residents experiencing a 4.5 mil increase as part of the 2023 bond referendum.
- MAEP State Funding: Mississippi Adequate Education Program state funding for district operations.
- Federal Programs: Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV funding from federal government for specific educational programs.
- Bond Financing: Capital funding from the 2023 bond referendum ($39.2M total) for construction projects including new elementary school, multi-purpose facility, and tennis/pickleball complex.
- Petal Education Foundation Donations: Private funding from local businesses, alumni, and individuals supporting scholarships, mini-grants, and educational initiatives beyond the operating budget.
- Student Meal Program: National School Lunch and Breakfast programs providing meals at K-12 Breakfast $2.00, K-12 Lunch $3.00, with free/reduced price options.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | K-12 Student Breakfast |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | K-12 Student Lunch |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Reduced Price Breakfast |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Reduced Price Lunch |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Adult & Teacher Breakfast |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Adult & Teacher Lunch |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Petal School District product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Petal School District is a public PreK-12 school district operating five schools in Petal, Mississippi, serving over 4,200 students. The district provides comprehensive educational services including core academic instruction, career and technical education, special education, English language learner programs, athletics, fine arts, child nutrition, transportation, and student wellness services. It is funded through local property taxes, state MAEP allocations, federal Title programs, and a 2023 bond referendum supporting capital improvements.
Product overview
Petal School District is a public PreK-12 school district operating five schools serving over 4,200 students in Petal, Mississippi. The district offers a comprehensive educational portfolio spanning core academic instruction (PreK through 12th grade across five schools), athletics programs (25+ activities including football, basketball, baseball, and E-Sports), fine arts (band, choir, JROTC, speech/debate), and Career & Technical Education (Utility Lineman, culinary arts, health sciences, IT, polymer science). Supporting programs include English Learners services, Special Education, Gifted education, Project SEARCH, Child Nutrition, Transportation, and Panther PAWS student wellness. The district maintains an Alumni Association, Petal Education Foundation (administering 1,000+ scholarships), and Academic Hall of Fame. Security is provided through a dedicated PSD Police Force with school resource officers at each campus. A 2023 bond referendum funds current construction projects including a new elementary school and multi-purpose facility.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Petal Education Foundation: A foundation dedicated to enhancing the quality of education in the Petal School District by providing private funding to have a positive impact on public schools.
- Petal Panthers
Products and services
- Petal Primary School
- Petal Elementary School
- Petal Upper Elementary School
- Petal Middle School
- Petal High School
- Athletics Programs
- Fine Arts Programs
- Career and Technical Education (CTE)
- English Learners (EL) Program
- Special Services
- Child Nutrition Program
- Transportation Services
- Panther PAWS
- PSD Police Force / School Resource Officers
- Petal Education Foundation
Quantifiable outcome
- 97.8% graduation rate among highest in Mississippi
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Petal School District
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Petal School District technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration14 records
Feature3 records
Petal School District partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- University of Southern Mississippi (USM)coreEstablished Petal U collaborative program with USM to grow administrative pool of applicants for future leadership positions. Also established teacher residency program where student teachers spend one full year in PSD gaining experience as part of recruitment and retention efforts.
- Chain ElectriccorePartnership for Utility Lineman program providing career and technical education opportunities for students interested in electrical trades.
- Codaray ConstructionminorContractor for new Petal Elementary School construction ($25,123,200).
- Mac's ConstructionminorContractor for Multi-Purpose Facility at Petal High School ($11,429,800).
- MitchCo ConstructionminorContractor for Tennis/Pickleball Courts ($1,808,000).
- J.W. Chain ContractorsminorContractor for Concessions/Ticket Booth/Restrooms ($847,600).
- Dolly Parton Imagination LibrarycoreProgram since May 2009 allowing enrolled children to receive one book monthly from birth until age five at no cost to families.
- Mississippi Department of EducationcoreState education agency providing accountability oversight, funding (Title programs), and standards alignment for the district.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Petal School District competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Rankin County School District: Larger Mississippi public school district recognized for strong academic outcomes. Comparable as a high-performing K-12 district in Mississippi and a benchmark for A-rated performance, though materially larger in scale than Petal.
- Madison County School District: Top-rated Mississippi public school district in the Jackson metro. Comparable as a high-achievement K-12 public district in Mississippi and a peer benchmark for graduation rates, college readiness, and community-funded capital programs.
Regional players
- Lamar County School District: Neighboring Southeast Mississippi district serving the larger Lamar County area. Comparable as a suburban/rural K-12 public district with similar demographic mix and proximity to Hattiesburg, making it a direct enrollment competitor for families considering the Petal area.
- Ocean Springs School District: Coastal Mississippi public school district with reputation for strong academics and extracurriculars. Comparable in programmatic breadth (athletics, arts, CTE) and A-rating trajectory, serving a different geographic market.
- Hattiesburg Public School District: Adjacent urban public school district in the Hattiesburg metropolitan area. Comparable in serving the same regional labor market but differs in scale and urban demographic profile; provides a benchmark for how Petal's suburban offering competes with the urban alternative.
- Clinton Public School District: Mississippi public school district in the Jackson metro with strong A-rating history. Comparable in operating model and outcomes profile but located in a different region; useful benchmark for A-rated district performance and CTE programming.
Direct peers
- Oak Grove School District: Lamar County K-12 district of similar suburban size and demographic profile. Directly comparable as a peer in scale, location (adjacent to Hattiesburg metro), and competitive positioning for in-migrating families.
- Tupelo Public School District: Mid-sized Mississippi public school district that Superintendent Dr. Matt Dillon previously led. Comparable in size, regional Mississippi context, and operational scale; serves as a real-world reference point for the superintendent's prior track record.
- Pearl Public School District: Central Mississippi public school district where Superintendent Dillon previously served as principal. Comparable in scale and another data point on the leadership's track record of driving academic outcomes.
Others
- University of Southern Mississippi (USM): Core institutional partner via Petal U leadership pipeline and teacher residency program. Comparable not as a competitor but as the strategic talent supply and credentialing partner whose College of Education directly feeds Petal's recruitment pipeline.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Petal School District social profiles
Digital presencePetal School District financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Petal School District leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
Petal School District subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Petal School District funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Petal School District M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Petal School District
What does Petal School District do?
Petal School District is a public PreK-12 school district operating five schools in Petal, Mississippi, serving over 4,200 students. The district provides comprehensive educational services including core academic instruction, career and technical education, special education, English language learner programs, athletics, fine arts, child nutrition, transportation, and student wellness services. It is funded through local property taxes, state MAEP allocations, federal Title programs, and a 2023 bond referendum supporting capital improvements.
Is Petal School District a public or private company?
Petal School District is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Petal School District founded?
Petal School District was founded in 1976. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Petal School District based?
Petal School District is headquartered in Petal, United States, in the North America region.
How does Petal School District make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Ad Valorem Property Taxes are the primary driver. The others are MAEP State Funding, federal Programs, bond Financing, petal Education Foundation Donations and student Meal Program.
Who are Petal School District's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Rankin County School District and Madison County School District. Regional players are Lamar County School District, Ocean Springs School District, Hattiesburg Public School District and Clinton Public School District. Direct peers are Oak Grove School District, Tupelo Public School District and Pearl Public School District. University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is listed as an others.
Does Petal School District have an API?
No public API is recorded for Petal School District.
What industry is Petal School District in?
Petal School District's product category is Public K-12 Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADABAA, Public School Districts (K–12), with a secondary code of EDAJAAAF, Public Magnet & Specialty Schools (STEM/Arts/IB/CTE). Its NAICS code is 61111 and its SIC code is 8200.