West Tallahatchie 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.

Sumner, Mississippi - 2 schools

An equity score of 80/100 ranks West Tallahatchie School District #7 of 146 districts in Mississippi (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $19,014 per pupil, West Tallahatchie School District ranks #6 of 148 Mississippi districts by per-pupil spending (Mississippi districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

513
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$19,014
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

West Tallahatchie School District operates 2 public schools serving 513 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Mississippi. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 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 Tallahatchie County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $19,014 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 15 of 148 Mississippi districts by per-pupil spending. See how Mississippi compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 31.4% local, 42.0% state, and 26.6% 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 80/100, ranked #7 of 146 in Mississippi against a state average of 51, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 2 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), a 274:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 43.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 93.8% African American, 0.6% White, 0.4% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is West Tallahatchie High School, enrolling 297 students (54% of the district's total enrollment).

West Tallahatchie High School accounts for 54.2% of all West Tallahatchie School District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of West Tallahatchie School District a distant remainder — means West Tallahatchie School District-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. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

West Tallahatchie School District reports 100.0% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is above 87.5%, so economic need is widespread across the measured student population. 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

West Tallahatchie School District student-counselor ratio is 274:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

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 Variation between sub-units within West Tallahatchie School District is typically wider than the West Tallahatchie School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

West Tallahatchie School District chronic absenteeism rate is 43.9% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 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 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

26.6%
Federal
42.0%
State
31.4%
Local

Funding Equity

80
Equity Score
7 / 146
State Rank
51
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in West Tallahatchie School District.

White 0.6%
African American 93.8%
Multiracial 5.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 2
Schools with AP
3 AP courses total
274:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
43.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in West Tallahatchie School District

School Enrollment
West Tallahatchie High School
297
R H Bearden Elementary School
251

How West Tallahatchie School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Mississippi districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Reimagine Prep Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Clarksdale Collegiate District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Okolona Separate School Dist Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Hollandale School Dist Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Joel E Smilow Collegiate Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to West Tallahatchie 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 West Tallahatchie School District →
Rankin Co School Dist
18,720 students · 28 schools · $11,323/pupil
Compare vs West Tallahatchie School District →
Harrison Co School Dist
14,355 students · 24 schools · $11,305/pupil
Compare vs West Tallahatchie School District →
Madison Co School Dist
13,162 students · 23 schools · $12,248/pupil
Compare vs West Tallahatchie 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 West Tallahatchie 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 West Tallahatchie School District?

West Tallahatchie School District has 2 schools, including 2 combined. Total enrollment is 513 students.

How much does West Tallahatchie School District spend per student?

West Tallahatchie School District spends $19,014 per student. The district has an equity score of 80/100, ranking #7 in Mississippi.

What is the demographic composition of West Tallahatchie School District?

West Tallahatchie School District students are 93.8% African American, 0.6% White, 0.4% Hispanic or Latino, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for West Tallahatchie School District?

West Tallahatchie School District has an equity score of 80/100, ranking #7 out of 146 districts in Mississippi.