Enrollment
1,529
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Hernando, MS
Hernando High School
Federal NCES profile for Hernando High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 280132000187
👥 S:T ratio 20
📚 AP courses 65
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hernando High School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Mississippi schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Mississippi.
- #5 of 5
- public schools in Hernando · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.1:1
- large classes for Mississippi
- 21.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Hernando High School has class sizes larger than 98% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hernando High School ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Hernando, MS.
School address
District: Desoto Co School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280132000187 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
76.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.1:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
+51% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.0%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-74% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hernando High School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hernando High School
Hernando High School is a large high school in Hernando, Mississippi, enrolling 1,529 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.1:1 is larger than about 98% of Mississippi schools and 51% above the 13.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 21.0% free-meal eligibility runs 74% below the Mississippi average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Mississippi, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,529 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 877 Mississippi schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Its student body is led by White (74%) and African American (11%) (diversity index 43/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 13 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 510 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Desoto Co School Dist spends $8,778 per pupil, 27% below the Mississippi average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Desoto Co School Dist also operates Desoto Central High School (2,004 students) and Southaven High School (1,876 students) alongside Hernando High School.
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 Hernando High School compares
Hernando High School on the metrics families compare, against Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.1:1 | ▲ 51% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.0% | ▼ 74% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,529 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.1:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,529
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 74% below the Mississippi average of 80.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20.1:1
students per teacher
- 51% above state mean
Top 98% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
37.9%
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
$8,778
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 510 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
111
in-school suspensions + 51 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.6 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
White 73.7%
African American 11.3%
Hispanic or Latino 9.7%
Two or More 3.9%
Asian 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 73.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.3, Hernando High School is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 13
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Desoto Co School Dist, which includes Hernando High School.
$8,778
Per student
-27%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-47%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.8%
State 51.9%
Federal 14.3%
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 Hernando High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desoto Central High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southaven High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southaven Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Desoto Central Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lewisburg High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hernando High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,004
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,876
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,423
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,388
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,330
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar high 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 (~1,529 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hernando High School's federal record.
- Compare Hernando High School against another school. Compare schools
- Desoto 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 Hernando High School
How many students attend Hernando High School?
Hernando High School has 1,529 students enrolled. It is a high school in Hernando, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hernando High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hernando High School is 20.1:1, which is 51% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 28% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hernando High School?
21.0% of students at Hernando High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hernando High School?
The largest demographic group at Hernando High School is White at 73.7% of enrollment, in Hernando, MS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hernando High School?
Hernando High School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Hernando High School rank among public schools in Hernando?
By Resource Investment Index, Hernando High School ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Hernando, 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 Hernando on the city page.
Is Hernando High School a good school?
Hernando High School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Mississippi schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Mississippi. 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 Desoto Co School Dist?
Besides Hernando High School, Desoto Co School Dist also operates Desoto Central High School (2,004 students), Southaven High School (1,876 students), and Southaven Middle School (1,423 students). See the Desoto 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.