Enrollment
598
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Gulfport, MS
Bel Aire Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Bel Aire Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 280177000283
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bel Aire Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Mississippi schools.
- #3 of 4
- elementary schools in Gulfport · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.9:1
- large classes for Mississippi
- 91.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Bel Aire Elementary School has class sizes larger than 78% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bel Aire Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Gulfport, MS.
School address
District: Harrison Co School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280177000283 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
91.3%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bel Aire Elementary School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bel Aire Elementary School
Bel Aire Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Gulfport, Mississippi, enrolling 598 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Mississippi schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 91.3% lands close to the Mississippi typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 598 puts it in the larger third of Mississippi schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Against 213 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #72.
Its student body is led by African American (65%) and White (18%) (diversity index 52/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 132 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 598 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Gulfport's elementary schools, it stands alongside North Gulfport Elementary and Middl (921 students): Bel Aire Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.9:1 vs 12.4:1).
Harrison Co School Dist also operates Harrison Central High School (1,483 students) and Diberville Senior High Sch (1,478 students) alongside Bel Aire Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Bel Aire Elementary School compares
Bel Aire Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.9:1 | ▲ 12% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 91.3% | ▲ 13% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 598 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
598
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
91.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% above the Mississippi average of 80.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 78% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
31.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$10,042
per pupil, district-wide
- below Mississippi avg of $11,990
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
20
in-school suspensions + 112 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 22.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 64.7%
White 18.1%
Hispanic or Latino 16.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Asian 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 64.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.2, Bel Aire Elementary School is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Harrison Co School Dist, which includes Bel Aire Elementary School.
$10,042
Per student
-16%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-39%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.5%
State 45.3%
Federal 18.2%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Bel Aire Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Diberville Senior High Sch | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Harrison High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Creekbend Elementary and Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Gulfport Elementary and Middl | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bel Aire Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,483
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,478
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 1,216
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 996
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 921
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Gulfport
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Mississippi, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~598 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bel Aire Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Bel Aire Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Harrison Co School Dist's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Bel Aire Elementary School
How many students attend Bel Aire Elementary School?
Bel Aire Elementary School has 598 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Gulfport, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bel Aire Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bel Aire Elementary School is 14.9:1, which is 12% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bel Aire Elementary School?
91.3% of students at Bel Aire Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bel Aire Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Bel Aire Elementary School is African American at 64.7% of enrollment, in Gulfport, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bel Aire Elementary School?
Bel Aire Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bel Aire Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Gulfport?
By Resource Investment Index, Bel Aire Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Gulfport, MS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Gulfport on the city page.
Is Bel Aire Elementary School a good school?
Bel Aire Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Mississippi schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Harrison Co School Dist?
Besides Bel Aire Elementary School, Harrison Co School Dist also operates Harrison Central High School (1,483 students), Diberville Senior High Sch (1,478 students), and West Harrison High School (1,216 students). See the Harrison Co School Dist district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.