Lowndes Co School Dist

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Columbus, Mississippi - 8 schools

An equity score of 27/100 ranks Lowndes Co School Dist #130 of 146 districts in Mississippi (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,059 per pupil, Lowndes Co School Dist ranks #122 of 148 Mississippi districts by per-pupil spending (Mississippi districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

5,261
Total Enrollment
8
Schools
$11,059
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Lowndes Co School Dist operates 8 public schools serving 5,261 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Mississippi. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 combined, 2 high, 2 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Lowndes County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,059 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 148 Mississippi districts by per-pupil spending. See how Mississippi compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 44.4% local, 39.5% state, and 16.2% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 27/100, ranked #130 of 146 in Mississippi against a state average of 51, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 8 schools offering Advanced Placement (9 AP courses district-wide), a 442.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 25.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 46.9% White, 46.7% African American, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is New Hope Middle School, with a diversity index of 55.8/100.

Its largest campus is New Hope Elementary School, enrolling 1,191 students (23% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is West Lowndes High School, at 206 students, a 6x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

New Hope Elementary School accounts for 22.6% of all Lowndes Co School Dist student enrollment

That concentration means Lowndes Co School Dist-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Lowndes Co School Dist school enrollment varies 5.8× across entities

Lowndes Co School Dist school enrollment ranges from 206 students (lowest) to 1,191 students (highest), a spread of 985 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Lowndes Co School Dist reports 60.5% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share clears the 50% majority mark. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Lowndes Co School Dist student-counselor ratio is 442:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Lowndes Co School Dist chronic absenteeism rate is 25.4% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Lowndes Co School Dist is typically wider than the Lowndes Co School Dist-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

16.2%
Federal
39.5%
State
44.4%
Local

Funding Equity

27
Equity Score
130 / 146
State Rank
51
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 8 schools in Lowndes Co School Dist.

White 46.9%
Hispanic or Latino 2.8%
African American 46.7%
Multiracial 3.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 38.7/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Lowndes Co School Dist's schools, below the Mississippi average of 41.1.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 New Hope Middle School 55.8
  2. 2 New Hope Elementary School 54.7
  3. 3 New Hope High School 54.2
  4. 4 Caledonia High School 44.6
  5. 5 Caledonia Elementary School 44.2

Programs & Resources

3 / 8
Schools with AP
9 AP courses total
442.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
25.4%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Lowndes Co School Dist

School Enrollment
New Hope Elementary School
1,191
Caledonia Elementary School
1,070
New Hope High School
787
Caledonia High School
640
New Hope Middle School
604
Caledonia Middle School
487
West Lowndes Elementary
276
West Lowndes High School
206

How Lowndes Co School Dist Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Mississippi districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Clinton Public School Dist Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Hinds Co School Dist Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Starkville- Oktibbeha Cons Dist Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Oxford School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Biloxi Public School Dist Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Lowndes Co School Dist's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Mississippi

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Desoto Co School Dist
35,003 students · 42 schools · $9,525/pupil
Compare vs Lowndes Co School Dist →
Rankin Co School Dist
18,720 students · 28 schools · $11,323/pupil
Compare vs Lowndes Co School Dist →
Jackson Public School District
18,710 students · 54 schools · $13,713/pupil
Compare vs Lowndes Co School Dist →
Harrison Co School Dist
14,355 students · 24 schools · $11,305/pupil
Compare vs Lowndes Co School Dist →
Madison Co School Dist
13,162 students · 23 schools · $12,248/pupil
Compare vs Lowndes Co School Dist →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Lowndes Co School Dist

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Desoto Co School Dist →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Lowndes Co School Dist?

Lowndes Co School Dist has 8 schools, including 4 combined, 2 high, 2 middle. Total enrollment is 5,261 students.

How much does Lowndes Co School Dist spend per student?

Lowndes Co School Dist spends $11,059 per student. The district has an equity score of 27/100, ranking #130 in Mississippi.

What is the demographic composition of Lowndes Co School Dist?

Lowndes Co School Dist students are 46.9% White, 46.7% African American, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 8 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Lowndes Co School Dist?

Lowndes Co School Dist has an equity score of 27/100, ranking #130 out of 146 districts in Mississippi.