- Enrollment
- 1,259
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Jackson, MS
Lester Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Lester Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 60/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 280219000398
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 63
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lester Elementary School earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median.
- #3 of 10
- elementary schools in Jackson · Resource Index
- 60
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Lester Elementary School has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lester Elementary School ranks #3 of 10 elementary schools in Jackson, MS.
School address
District: Jackson Public School District · Mississippi
NCES ID 280219000398 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-19 students YoY
Lester Elementary School shrank from 187 students in 2022-23 to 168 in 2023-24 (-10.2%).
Teacher FTE lost 14.7 → 14.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-19 students YoY 280219000398 · Jackson, MS Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
187 enr · 13.4:1 · 100.0% lunch · RII 60
Nearest enrollment peer: Murrah High School (1,259 students)
Lester Elementary School shrank from 187 students in 2022-23 to 168 in 2023-24 (-10.2%). Teacher FTE lost 14.7 → 14.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Mississippi schools → · Find another →
Lester Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Murrah High Sc
Murrah High School
1,259 students
- Forest Hill Hi
Forest Hill High School
1,139 students
- Callaway High
Callaway High School
994 students
- Jim Hill High
Jim Hill High School
975 students
- Lanier High Sc
Lanier High School
895 students
- This school 187
Lester Elementary School
187 students
What this shows Lester Elementary School reports 187 students on the CCD universe file.
How Lester Elementary School compares
Lester Elementary School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 187 | top 93% | - | - |
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.
187
Bigger than 18% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% above 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
15.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,713
per pupil, district-wide
- above Mississippi avg of $13,683
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 187 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Jackson Public School District reports $13,713 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Lester Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murrah High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Forest Hill High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Callaway High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jim Hill High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lanier High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lester Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,139
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 994
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 975
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 895
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar elementary schools in Jackson
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Gary Road Intermediate School
Standard public school
680 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Ambition Preparatory Charter School
Standard public school
563 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
Joel E Smilow Collegiate
Standard public school
547 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Revive Collegiate
Standard public school
367 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~187 students)
Frequently asked questions about Lester Elementary School
How many students attend Lester Elementary School?
Lester Elementary School has 187 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Jackson, MS. CCD year-over-year: 187 (2022-23) → 168 (2023-24), down 19.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lester Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lester 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 Lester Elementary School?
100.0% of students at Lester Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lester Elementary School?
Lester Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 60/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Lester Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Jackson?
By Resource Investment Index, Lester Elementary School ranks #3 of 10 elementary schools in Jackson, 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 Jackson on the city page.
What other schools are in Jackson Public School District?
Besides Lester Elementary School, Jackson Public School District also operates Murrah High School (1,259 students), Forest Hill High School (1,139 students), and Callaway High School (994 students). See the Jackson Public School District district page for the complete list.