Enrollment
465
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Gulfport, MS
Harrison Central Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Harrison Central Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 280177000287
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 71
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Harrison Central Elementary earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Mississippi schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Mississippi schools.
- #1 of 6
- elementary schools in Gulfport · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16:1
- large classes for Mississippi
- 78.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Harrison Central Elementary has class sizes larger than 88% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Harrison Central Elementary ranks #1 of 6 elementary schools in Gulfport, MS.
School address
District: Harrison Co School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280177000287 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.0%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Harrison Central Elementary compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Harrison Central Elementary
Harrison Central Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Gulfport, Mississippi, enrolling 465 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16:1 is larger than about 88% of Mississippi schools and 20% above the 13.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 78.0% lands close to the Mississippi typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 465 students, its enrollment sits close to the Mississippi median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 877 Mississippi schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 134 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Mississippi schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (40%) and White (39%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
11.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 18.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Gulfport's elementary schools, it stands alongside North Gulfport Elementary and Middl (921 students): Harrison Central Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16:1 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 Harrison Central Elementary.
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 Harrison Central Elementary compares
Harrison Central Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16:1 | ▲ 20% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.0% | ▼ 3% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 465 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
465
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% below the Mississippi average of 80.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 88% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
11.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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
0
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.1 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 40.4%
White 38.7%
Hispanic or Latino 10.1%
Two or More 8.2%
Asian 1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: African American at 40.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.0, Harrison Central Elementary 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 Harrison Central Elementary.
$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 Harrison Central Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar 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 | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Harrison Central Elementary'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
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
North Gulfport Elementary and Middl
Standard public school
921 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Bayou View Elementary School
Standard public school
638 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Bel Aire Elementary School
Standard public school
598 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Crossroads Elementary School
Standard public school
547 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
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 (~465 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Harrison Central Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Harrison Central Elementary 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 Harrison Central Elementary
How many students attend Harrison Central Elementary?
Harrison Central Elementary has 465 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Gulfport, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Harrison Central Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Harrison Central Elementary is 16:1, which is 20% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 2% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Harrison Central Elementary?
78.0% of students at Harrison Central Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Harrison Central Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Harrison Central Elementary is African American at 40.4% of enrollment, in Gulfport, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Harrison Central Elementary?
Harrison Central Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (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 Harrison Central Elementary rank among elementary schools in Gulfport?
By Resource Investment Index, Harrison Central Elementary ranks #1 of 6 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 Harrison Central Elementary a good school?
Harrison Central Elementary earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger 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 Harrison Co School Dist?
Besides Harrison Central Elementary, 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.