Enrollment
186
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Picayune, MS
Early Head Start Nicholson
Federal NCES profile for Early Head Start Nicholson, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 63/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 280363001383
👥 S:T ratio 59
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 100
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Early Head Start Nicholson earns 63/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of Mississippi schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Mississippi schools.
- #2 of 4
- schools in Picayune · Resource Index
- 63
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.3:1
- small classes for Mississippi
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Early Head Start Nicholson has class sizes smaller than 88% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Early Head Start Nicholson ranks #2 of 4 schools in Picayune, MS.
School address
District: Picayune School District · Mississippi
NCES ID 280363001383 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.3:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
-23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Early Head Start Nicholson compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Early Head Start Nicholson
Early Head Start Nicholson is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Picayune, Mississippi, enrolling 186 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.3:1, Early Head Start Nicholson is leaner than roughly 88% of Mississippi schools and 23% under the state's 13.3:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 100.0% lands close to the Mississippi typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 93% of Mississippi schools, with 186 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 877 Mississippi schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 126 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Mississippi schools statewide, it ranks #12, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (44%) and White (39%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 0.0% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 34.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Picayune's public schools, it stands alongside West Hancock Elementary School (349 students): Early Head Start Nicholson is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.3:1 vs 12:1).
Picayune School District also operates Picayune Memorial High School (940 students) and Picayune Junior High School (465 students) alongside Early Head Start Nicholson.
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 Early Head Start Nicholson compares
Early Head Start Nicholson on the metrics families compare, against Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.3:1 | ▼ 23% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 186 | top 93% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.3:1
Leaner classes than 87% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
186
Bigger than 18% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
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
10.3:1
students per teacher
- 23% below state mean
Top 12% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
0.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$11,953
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
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 44.1%
White 39.2%
Hispanic or Latino 12.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.2%
Two or More 1.1%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 44.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.5, Early Head Start Nicholson is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Picayune School District, which includes Early Head Start Nicholson.
$11,953
Per student
0%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.2%
State 38.7%
Federal 34.0%
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 Early Head Start Nicholson Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Picayune Memorial High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Picayune Junior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Side Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Roseland Park Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Nicholson Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Early Head Start Nicholson's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 940
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 465
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 444
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 370
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 324
- Students per teacher
- 11.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar other schools in Picayune
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other 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 (~186 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Early Head Start Nicholson's federal record.
- Compare Early Head Start Nicholson against another school. Compare schools
- Picayune School District'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 Early Head Start Nicholson
How many students attend Early Head Start Nicholson?
Early Head Start Nicholson has 186 students enrolled. It is a public school in Picayune, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Early Head Start Nicholson?
The student-teacher ratio at Early Head Start Nicholson is 10.3:1, which is 23% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 34% 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 Early Head Start Nicholson?
100.0% of students at Early Head Start Nicholson are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Early Head Start Nicholson?
The largest demographic group at Early Head Start Nicholson is African American at 44.1% of enrollment, in Picayune, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Early Head Start Nicholson?
Early Head Start Nicholson has a Resource Investment Index of 63/100 (higher 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 Early Head Start Nicholson rank among schools in Picayune?
By Resource Investment Index, Early Head Start Nicholson ranks #2 of 4 schools in Picayune, MS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Picayune on the city page.
Is Early Head Start Nicholson a good school?
Early Head Start Nicholson earns 63/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of Mississippi schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Picayune School District?
Besides Early Head Start Nicholson, Picayune School District also operates Picayune Memorial High School (940 students), Picayune Junior High School (465 students), and West Side Elementary School (444 students). See the Picayune School District 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.