PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT

Pascagoula, Mississippi — 17 schools

6,565
Total Enrollment
17
Schools
$16,455
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT operates 17 public schools serving 6,565 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Mississippi. The school portfolio breaks down into 7 other, 5 elementary, 3 high, 2 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 6,579 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Jackson County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,455 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 47.1% local, 31.8% state, and 21.1% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $82,656 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 68/100, ranked #28 of 146 in Mississippi against a state average of 51 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 17 schools offering Advanced Placement (25 AP courses district-wide), a 249.8:1 student-counselor ratio that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 26.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 40.1% African American, 33.9% White, 19.5% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Pascagoula High School accounts for 17.1% of all PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT school enrollment varies 26× across entities

PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT school enrollment ranges from 44 students (lowest) to 1,127 students (highest), a spread of 1,083 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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 NCES Common Core of Data

PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 100.0% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT student-counselor ratio is 250:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT chronic absenteeism rate is 26.3% — 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 PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT is typically wider than the PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

21.1%
Federal
31.8%
State
47.1%
Local

Funding Equity

68
Equity Score
28 / 146
State Rank
51
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Jackson County county, where this district is located.

$929
Studio/mo
$951
1 BR/mo
$1,067
2 BR/mo
$1,448
3 BR/mo
$1,762
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$82,656
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 17 schools in PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT.

White 33.9%
Hispanic or Latino 19.5%
African American 40.1%
Multiracial 5.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

2 / 17
Schools with AP
25 AP courses total
249.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
26.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT

School Enrollment
Pascagoula High School
1,127
Gautier High School
900
William M Colmer Middle School
532
Trent Lott Academy
524
Gautier Middle School
416
Singing River Academy
416
Martin Bluff
410
Gautier Elementary School
397
Eastlawn Elementary School
337
Arlington Heights Elem School
333
College Park Elem
303
Central Elementary School
245
Cherokee Elementary School
206
Jackson Elementary School
193
Beach Elementary School
100
Lake Elementary School
96
Exceptional School
44

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 · $9,536/pupil
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RANKIN CO SCHOOL DIST
18,720 students · 28 schools · $12,330/pupil
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HARRISON CO SCHOOL DIST
14,355 students · 24 schools · $11,892/pupil
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MADISON CO SCHOOL DIST
13,162 students · 23 schools · $11,926/pupil
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Compare PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT?

PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT has 17 schools, including 3 high, 2 middle, 5 elementary, 7 other. Total enrollment is 6,565 students.

How much does PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT spend per student?

PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT spends $16,455 per student. The district has an equity score of 68/100, ranking #28 in Mississippi.

What is the average teacher salary in PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT?

The average teacher salary in PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT is $82,656 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Jackson County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT?

PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT students are 40.1% African American, 33.9% White, 19.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 17 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT?

PASCAGOULA-GAUTIER SCHOOL DISTRICT has an equity score of 68/100, ranking #28 out of 146 districts in Mississippi. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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