Enrollment
263
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Hattiesburg, MS
Hattiesburg Steam Academy
Federal NCES profile for Hattiesburg Steam Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 280180001444
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hattiesburg Steam Academy earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median.
- #6 of 11
- public schools in Hattiesburg · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.2:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Hattiesburg Steam Academy has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hattiesburg Steam Academy ranks #6 of 11 public schools in Hattiesburg, MS.
School address
District: Hattiesburg Public School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280180001444 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.2:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hattiesburg Steam Academy compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hattiesburg Steam Academy
Hattiesburg Steam Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, enrolling 263 students.
At 13.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Mississippi median, within a few percentage points of the 13.3:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
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.
Enrollment of 263 puts it in the smaller third of Mississippi schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Against 244 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #99.
Its student body is led by African American (80%) and Hispanic or Latino (10%) (diversity index 35/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 263 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 25.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Hattiesburg's middle schools, it stands alongside Oak Grove Middle School (1,160 students): Hattiesburg Steam Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.2:1 vs 12.6:1).
Hattiesburg Public School Dist also operates Hattiesburg High School (1,014 students) and Thames Elementary School (619 students) alongside Hattiesburg Steam Academy.
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 Hattiesburg Steam Academy compares
Hattiesburg Steam Academy on the metrics families compare, against Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.2:1 | ▼ 1% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 263 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.2:1
Leaner classes than 65% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
263
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
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
13.2:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 49% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 51% 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
$13,121
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 263 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
32
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 12.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.4 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 79.8%
Hispanic or Latino 10.3%
Two or More 6.1%
White 3.8%
Largest group: African American at 79.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.7, Hattiesburg Steam Academy is less mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hattiesburg Public School Dist, which includes Hattiesburg Steam Academy.
$13,121
Per student
+9%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.2%
State 32.2%
Federal 25.6%
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 Hattiesburg Steam Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hattiesburg High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thames Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| N R Burger Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rowan Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Woodley Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hattiesburg Steam Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,014
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 619
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 525
- Students per teacher
- 10.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 425
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 422
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar middle schools in Hattiesburg
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~263 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hattiesburg Steam Academy's federal record.
- Compare Hattiesburg Steam Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Hattiesburg Public 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 Hattiesburg Steam Academy
How many students attend Hattiesburg Steam Academy?
Hattiesburg Steam Academy has 263 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Hattiesburg, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hattiesburg Steam Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Hattiesburg Steam Academy is 13.2:1, which is 1% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 16% 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 Hattiesburg Steam Academy?
100.0% of students at Hattiesburg Steam Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hattiesburg Steam Academy?
The largest demographic group at Hattiesburg Steam Academy is African American at 79.8% of enrollment, in Hattiesburg, MS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hattiesburg Steam Academy?
Hattiesburg Steam Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Hattiesburg Steam Academy rank among public schools in Hattiesburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Hattiesburg Steam Academy ranks #6 of 11 public schools in Hattiesburg, MS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Hattiesburg on the city page.
Is Hattiesburg Steam Academy a good school?
Hattiesburg Steam Academy earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median. 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 Hattiesburg Public School Dist?
Besides Hattiesburg Steam Academy, Hattiesburg Public School Dist also operates Hattiesburg High School (1,014 students), Thames Elementary School (619 students), and N R Burger Middle School (525 students). See the Hattiesburg Public 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.