Enrollment
491
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Brandon, MS
Highland Bluff Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Highland Bluff Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 280383001333
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 2
📋 Attendance 75
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Bluff Elementary earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of Mississippi schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Mississippi schools.
- #1 of 6
- schools in Brandon · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.2:1
- small classes for Mississippi
- 33.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Bluff Elementary has class sizes smaller than 81% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Bluff Elementary ranks #1 of 6 schools in Brandon, MS.
School address
District: Rankin Co School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280383001333 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.2:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.1%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Bluff Elementary compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Bluff Elementary
Highland Bluff Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Brandon, Mississippi, enrolling 491 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Mississippi schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 33.1% free-meal eligibility runs 59% below the Mississippi average.
With 491 students, its enrollment sits close to the Mississippi median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Among 36 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 White (49%) and African American (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 491 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
10.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Brandon's public schools, it stands alongside Rouse Elementary (798 students): Highland Bluff Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.2:1 vs 11.9:1).
Rankin Co School Dist also operates Northwest Rankin High School (1,855 students) and Brandon High School (1,609 students) alongside Highland Bluff 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 Highland Bluff Elementary compares
Highland Bluff 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 | 11.2:1 | ▼ 16% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.1% | ▼ 59% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 491 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.2:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
491
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% 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
11.2:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 19% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 81% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
10.0%
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
$10,533
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 491 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 49.1%
African American 31.8%
Two or More 8.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.9%
Asian 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 49.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.5, Highland Bluff Elementary is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rankin Co School Dist, which includes Highland Bluff Elementary.
$10,533
Per student
-12%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.5%
State 43.6%
Federal 13.9%
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 Highland Bluff Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Rankin High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brandon High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwest Rankin Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brandon Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rouse Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland Bluff Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,855
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,609
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,352
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,155
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 798
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Brandon
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Rouse Elementary
Standard public school
798 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Oakdale Elementary
Standard public school
566 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Pisgah Elementary School
Standard public school
556 students 15:1 students per teacher
Northshore Elementary
Standard public school
539 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Pisgah High School
Standard public school
482 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~491 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Bluff Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Highland Bluff Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Rankin 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 Highland Bluff Elementary
How many students attend Highland Bluff Elementary?
Highland Bluff Elementary has 491 students enrolled. It is a public school in Brandon, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Bluff Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Bluff Elementary is 11.2:1, which is 16% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 29% 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 Highland Bluff Elementary?
33.1% of students at Highland Bluff Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Bluff Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Highland Bluff Elementary is White at 49.1% of enrollment, in Brandon, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Bluff Elementary?
Highland Bluff Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Highland Bluff Elementary rank among schools in Brandon?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Bluff Elementary ranks #1 of 6 schools in Brandon, MS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Brandon on the city page.
Is Highland Bluff Elementary a good school?
Highland Bluff Elementary earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% 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 Rankin Co School Dist?
Besides Highland Bluff Elementary, Rankin Co School Dist also operates Northwest Rankin High School (1,855 students), Brandon High School (1,609 students), and Northwest Rankin Middle School (1,352 students). See the Rankin 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.