Enrollment
1,066
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
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 →
Teachers (FTE)
66.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.7%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary
Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary is a higher-need, large elementary school in Starkville, Mississippi, enrolling 1,066 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.2:1 is larger than about 89% of Mississippi schools and 22% above the 13.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 68.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Mississippi, bigger than 94% of state schools at 1,066 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Among 88 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Mississippi schools statewide, it ranks #7, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (65%) and White (28%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 426 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
12.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 21.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 11 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Starkville's elementary schools, it stands alongside Overstreet Elementary (324 students): Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.2:1 vs 13:1).
Starkville- Oktibbeha Cons Dist also operates Starkville High School (1,376 students) and Sudduth Elementary School (920 students) alongside Henderson/Ward-Stewart 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 Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary compares
Henderson/Ward-Stewart 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 | 16.2:1 | ▲ 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 (what these measure)
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
$11,905
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
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.
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 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
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Starkville- Oktibbeha Cons Dist, which includes Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary.
$11,905
Per student
-1%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.0%
State 35.9%
Federal 21.1%
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 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
- 1,376
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- 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.
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 (~1,066 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Starkville- Oktibbeha Cons 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 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.
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, counselor availability, attendance rates. 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.
Is Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary a good school?
Henderson/Ward-Stewart Elementary earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of 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 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.
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.