- Enrollment
- 865
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbus, MS
Cook Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cook Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 280120000156
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cook Elementary School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median.
- #3 of 8
- schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.6:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Cook Elementary School has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cook Elementary School ranks #3 of 8 schools in Columbus, MS.
School address
District: Columbus Municipal School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280120000156 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+35 students YoY
Cook Elementary School grew from 388 students in 2022-23 to 423 in 2023-24 (+9.0%).
Teacher FTE lost 34.0 → 30.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+35 students YoY 280120000156 · Columbus, MS Other · SMALL · TRAD
415 enr · 12.6:1 · 100.0% lunch · RII 50
Nearest enrollment peer: Columbus High School (865 students)
Cook Elementary School grew from 388 students in 2022-23 to 423 in 2023-24 (+9.0%). Teacher FTE lost 34.0 → 30.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Mississippi schools → · Find another →
Cook Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Columbus High
Columbus High School
865 students
- Columbus Middl
Columbus Middle School
597 students
- This school
Cook Elementary School
415 students
- Stokes Beard E
Stokes Beard Elementary School
369 students
- Sale Elementar 290
Sale Elementary School
290 students
- Fairview Eleme 244
Fairview Elementary School
244 students
What this shows Cook Elementary School reports 415 students on the CCD universe file.
How Cook Elementary School compares
Cook Elementary School is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.6:1 | ▼ 5% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 415 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.6:1
Leaner classes than 70% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
415
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
12.6:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 40% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 60% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
15.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,944
per pupil, district-wide
- above Mississippi avg of $13,683
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 415 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 86.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6.0%
White 4.3%
Two or More 1.9%
Asian 1.4%
Largest group: African American at 86.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 24.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 24.9, Cook Elementary School is less mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Columbus Municipal School Dist reports $13,944 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Cook Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Columbus Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Stokes Beard Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sale Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fairview Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cook Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 597
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 369
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 290
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 244
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~415 students)
Frequently asked questions about Cook Elementary School
How many students attend Cook Elementary School?
Cook Elementary School has 415 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbus, MS. CCD year-over-year: 388 (2022-23) → 423 (2023-24), up 35.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cook Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cook Elementary School is 12.6:1, which is 5% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 20% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cook Elementary School?
100.0% of students at Cook Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cook Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cook Elementary School is African American at 86.3% of enrollment, in Columbus, MS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cook Elementary School?
Cook Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cook Elementary School rank among schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, Cook Elementary School ranks #3 of 8 schools in Columbus, MS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Columbus on the city page.
What other schools are in Columbus Municipal School Dist?
Besides Cook Elementary School, Columbus Municipal School Dist also operates Columbus High School (865 students), Columbus Middle School (597 students), and Stokes Beard Elementary School (369 students). See the Columbus Municipal School Dist district page for the complete list.