Enrollment
387
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Houston, MS
Houston Upper Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Houston Upper Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 280020001537
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Houston Upper Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Mississippi schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Houston · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 75.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Houston Upper Elementary has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Houston Upper Elementary ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Houston, MS.
School address
District: Chickasaw Co School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280020001537 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.1%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Houston Upper Elementary compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Houston Upper Elementary
Houston Upper Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Houston, Mississippi, enrolling 387 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Mississippi schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 75.1% lands close to the Mississippi typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 387 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.
Against 135 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #21.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and African American (34%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
15.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 23.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Chickasaw Co School Dist also operates Houston High School (529 students) and Houston Lower Elementary (472 students) alongside Houston Upper 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 Houston Upper Elementary compares
Houston Upper 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 | 13.8:1 | ▲ 4% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.1% | ▼ 7% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 387 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
387
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% 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
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 61% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
15.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$9,753
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.
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 43.7%
African American 33.6%
Two or More 13.2%
Hispanic or Latino 9.0%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 43.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.1, Houston Upper Elementary is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chickasaw Co School Dist, which includes Houston Upper Elementary.
$9,753
Per student
-19%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.9%
State 57.7%
Federal 23.4%
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 Houston Upper Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Houston Lower Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Houlka Attendance Center | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Houston Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Houston Upper Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 529
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 472
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 457
- Students per teacher
- 10.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 352
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
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 (~387 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Houston Upper Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Houston Upper Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Chickasaw 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 Houston Upper Elementary
How many students attend Houston Upper Elementary?
Houston Upper Elementary has 387 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Houston, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Houston Upper Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Houston Upper Elementary is 13.8:1, which is 4% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 12% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Houston Upper Elementary?
75.1% of students at Houston Upper Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Houston Upper Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Houston Upper Elementary is White at 43.7% of enrollment, in Houston, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Houston Upper Elementary?
Houston Upper Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Houston Upper Elementary rank among public schools in Houston?
By Resource Investment Index, Houston Upper Elementary ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Houston, 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 Houston on the city page.
Is Houston Upper Elementary a good school?
Houston Upper Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median. 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 Chickasaw Co School Dist?
Besides Houston Upper Elementary, Chickasaw Co School Dist also operates Houston High School (529 students), Houston Lower Elementary (472 students), and Houlka Attendance Center (457 students). See the Chickasaw 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.