- Enrollment
- 1,376
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Starkville, MS
Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 280018901438
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of Mississippi schools.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Starkville · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.2:1
- large classes for Mississippi
- 68.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary has class sizes larger than 89% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Starkville, MS.
School address
District: Starkville- Oktibbeha Cons Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280018901438 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+113 students YoY
Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary grew from 948 students in 2022-23 to 1,061 in 2023-24 (+11.9%).
Teacher FTE added 66.2 → 68.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+113 students YoY 280018901438 · Starkville, MS Elementary · MID · TRAD
1,066 enr · 16.2:1 · 68.7% lunch · RII 47
Nearest enrollment peer: Starkville High School (1,376 students)
Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary grew from 948 students in 2022-23 to 1,061 in 2023-24 (+11.9%). Teacher FTE added 66.2 → 68.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Mississippi schools → · Find another →
Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Starkville Hig
Starkville High School
1,376 students
- This school
Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary
1,066 students
- Sudduth Elemen
Sudduth Elementary School
920 students
- Socsd/Msu Part
Socsd/Msu Partnership Middle School
646 students
- Armstrong Juni 358
Armstrong Junior High School
358 students
- Overstreet Ele 324
Overstreet Elementary
324 students
What this shows Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary reports 1,066 students on the CCD universe file.
How Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary compares
Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary 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 | 16.2:1 | ▲ 22% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.7% | ▼ 15% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,066 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,066
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
68.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% 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
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 89% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
12.1%
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
$13,106
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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
Counselors2.5 FTE
Per 426 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 11 expulsions.
Student demographics
African American 65.1%
White 28.1%
Asian 3.9%
Hispanic or Latino 1.9%
Two or More 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 65.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.5, Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Starkville- Oktibbeha Cons Dist reports $13,106 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starkville High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sudduth Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Socsd/Msu Partnership Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Armstrong Junior High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Overstreet Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 920
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 646
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 358
- Students per teacher
- 6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 324
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar elementary schools in Starkville
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary 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 (~1,066 students)
Frequently asked questions about Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary
How many students attend Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary?
Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary has 1,066 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Starkville, MS. CCD year-over-year: 948 (2022-23) → 1,061 (2023-24), up 113.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary is 16.2:1, which is 22% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary?
68.7% of students at Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary is African American at 65.1% of enrollment, in Starkville, MS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary?
Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical 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 Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary rank among public schools in Starkville?
By Resource Investment Index, Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Starkville, 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 Starkville on the city page.
What other schools are in Starkville- Oktibbeha Cons Dist?
Besides Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary, Starkville- Oktibbeha Cons Dist also operates Starkville High School (1,376 students), Sudduth Elementary School (920 students), and Socsd/Msu Partnership Middle School (646 students). See the Starkville- Oktibbeha Cons Dist district page for the complete list.