Enrollment
575
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tupelo, MS
Lawhon Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Lawhon Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 280432000814
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lawhon Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median.
- #7 of 8
- elementary schools in Tupelo · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 67.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Lawhon Elementary School has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lawhon Elementary School ranks #7 of 8 elementary schools in Tupelo, MS.
School address
District: Tupelo Public School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280432000814 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.2%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lawhon Elementary School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lawhon Elementary School
Lawhon Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Tupelo, Mississippi, enrolling 575 students.
At 13.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Mississippi median, within a few percentage points of the 13.3:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 67.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 575 puts it in the larger third of Mississippi schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Against 182 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #125.
Its student body is led by African American (57%) and White (29%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 575 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Tupelo's elementary schools, it stands alongside Joyner Elementary School (444 students): Lawhon Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.4:1 vs 10.3:1).
Tupelo Public School Dist also operates Tupelo High School (2,123 students) and Tupelo Middle School (1,070 students) alongside Lawhon Elementary 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 Lawhon Elementary School compares
Lawhon Elementary 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 | 13.4:1 | ▲ 1% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.2% | ▼ 17% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 575 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
575
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% 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
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 53% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
30.6%
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
$11,682
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 575 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
47
in-school suspensions + 37 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.6 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
African American 56.7%
White 28.7%
Hispanic or Latino 7.7%
Two or More 3.7%
Asian 3.3%
Largest group: African American at 56.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.8, Lawhon Elementary School is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tupelo Public School Dist, which includes Lawhon Elementary School.
$11,682
Per student
-3%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.5%
State 38.9%
Federal 18.6%
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 Lawhon Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tupelo High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tupelo Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Milam Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Joyner Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Parkway Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lawhon Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,123
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,070
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 456
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 444
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 418
- Students per teacher
- 10:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar elementary schools in Tupelo
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Joyner Elementary School
Standard public school
444 students 10.3:1 students per teacher
Parkway Elementary School
Standard public school
418 students 10:1 students per teacher
Lawndale Elementary School
Standard public school
378 students 11.5:1 students per teacher
Rankin Elementary School
Standard public school
375 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Thomas Street Elementary School
Standard public school
374 students 8.9:1 students per teacher
Pierce Street Elementary School
Standard public school
345 students 11.1:1 students per teacher
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 (~575 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lawhon Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Lawhon Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Tupelo Public 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 Lawhon Elementary School
How many students attend Lawhon Elementary School?
Lawhon Elementary School has 575 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tupelo, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lawhon Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lawhon Elementary School is 13.4:1, which is 1% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 15% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lawhon Elementary School?
67.2% of students at Lawhon Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lawhon Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Lawhon Elementary School is African American at 56.7% of enrollment, in Tupelo, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lawhon Elementary School?
Lawhon Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Lawhon Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Tupelo?
By Resource Investment Index, Lawhon Elementary School ranks #7 of 8 elementary schools in Tupelo, MS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Tupelo on the city page.
Is Lawhon Elementary School a good school?
Lawhon Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median. 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 Tupelo Public School Dist?
Besides Lawhon Elementary School, Tupelo Public School Dist also operates Tupelo High School (2,123 students), Tupelo Middle School (1,070 students), and Milam Elementary School (456 students). See the Tupelo Public 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.