Pearl Public School District

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.

Pearl, Mississippi - 5 schools

An equity score of 20/100 ranks Pearl Public School District #140 of 146 districts in Mississippi (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,831 per pupil, Pearl Public School District ranks #130 of 148 Mississippi districts by per-pupil spending (Mississippi districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

4,216
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$10,831
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Pearl Public School District operates 5 public schools serving 4,216 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Mississippi. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Rankin County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,831 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 34.5% local, 47.4% state, and 18.2% 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 20/100, ranked #140 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 1 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (14 AP courses district-wide), a 851.6:1 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 42.7% White, 39.2% African American, 11.6% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Pearl Lower Elementary School, with a diversity index of 66.6/100.

Its largest campus is Pearl High School, enrolling 1,278 students (30% of the district's total enrollment).

Pearl High School accounts for 30.0% of all Pearl Public School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Pearl Public School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. 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

Pearl Public School District school enrollment varies 2.1× across entities

Pearl Public School District school enrollment ranges from 608 students (lowest) to 1,278 students (highest), a spread of 670 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

Pearl Public School District reports 69.2% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share sits between 62.5% and 75%, above a simple majority but below the highest descriptive band used here. 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

Pearl Public School District student-counselor ratio is 852:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Pearl Public School District 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 Pearl Public School District is typically wider than the Pearl Public School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

18.2%
Federal
47.4%
State
34.5%
Local

Funding Equity

20
Equity Score
140 / 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 5 schools in Pearl Public School District.

White 42.7%
Hispanic or Latino 11.6%
African American 39.2%
Asian 0.8%
Multiracial 5.1%
Other 0.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 64.6/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Pearl Public School District's schools, above the Mississippi average of 41.1.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Pearl Lower Elementary School 66.6
  2. 2 Northside Elementary School 65.8
  3. 3 Pearl Upper School 64.6
  4. 4 Pearl Junior High School 63.4
  5. 5 Pearl High School 62.8

Programs & Resources

1 / 5
Schools with AP
14 AP courses total
851.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
25.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Pearl Public School District

School Enrollment
Pearl High School
1,278
Pearl Junior High School
944
Pearl Lower Elementary School
763
Northside Elementary School
665
Pearl Upper School
608

How Pearl Public School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Mississippi districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
George Co School Dist Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
South Panola School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Hancock Co School Dist Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Petal School Dist Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Greenwood-Leflore Cons Sch District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Pearl Public School District'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 Pearl Public School District →
Rankin Co School Dist
18,720 students · 28 schools · $11,323/pupil
Compare vs Pearl Public School District →
Jackson Public School District
18,710 students · 54 schools · $13,713/pupil
Compare vs Pearl Public School District →
Harrison Co School Dist
14,355 students · 24 schools · $11,305/pupil
Compare vs Pearl Public School District →
Madison Co School Dist
13,162 students · 23 schools · $12,248/pupil
Compare vs Pearl Public School District →

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 Pearl Public School District

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 Pearl Public School District?

Pearl Public School District has 5 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 4,216 students.

How much does Pearl Public School District spend per student?

Pearl Public School District spends $10,831 per student. The district has an equity score of 20/100, ranking #140 in Mississippi.

What is the demographic composition of Pearl Public School District?

Pearl Public School District students are 42.7% White, 39.2% African American, 11.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Pearl Public School District?

Pearl Public School District has an equity score of 20/100, ranking #140 out of 146 districts in Mississippi.