Enrollment
456
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Tupelo, MS
Milam Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Milam Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 280432001003
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 54
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Milam Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Mississippi schools.
- #4 of 12
- public schools in Tupelo · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13:1
- students per teacher
- 66.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Milam Elementary School has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Milam Elementary School ranks #4 of 12 public schools in Tupelo, MS.
School address
District: Tupelo Public School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280432001003 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.6%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Milam Elementary School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Milam Elementary School
Milam Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Tupelo, Mississippi, enrolling 456 students.
At 13:1, 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 66.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 456 students, its enrollment sits close to the Mississippi median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Against 162 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #70.
Its student body is led by African American (54%) and White (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 228 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 50.4% 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.
Discipline events run high: 107 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 456 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Tupelo's middle schools, it stands alongside Tupelo Middle School (1,070 students): Milam Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13:1 vs 13.5:1).
Tupelo Public School Dist also operates Tupelo High School (2,123 students) and Tupelo Middle School (1,070 students) alongside Milam 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 Milam Elementary School compares
Milam 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 | 13:1 | ▼ 2% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.6% | ▼ 17% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 456 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13:1
Leaner classes than 67% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
456
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.6%
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
13:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 46% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
50.4%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 228 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 102 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 54.4%
White 27.9%
Hispanic or Latino 10.3%
Two or More 4.2%
Asian 3.3%
Largest group: African American at 54.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.3, Milam 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 Milam 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 Milam Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tupelo High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tupelo Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lawhon Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Joyner Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Parkway Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Milam 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
- 575
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 444
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 418
- Students per teacher
- 10:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar middle schools in Tupelo
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~456 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Milam Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Milam 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 Milam Elementary School
How many students attend Milam Elementary School?
Milam Elementary School has 456 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Tupelo, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Milam Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Milam Elementary School is 13:1, which is 2% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 17% 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 Milam Elementary School?
66.6% of students at Milam Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Milam Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Milam Elementary School is African American at 54.4% of enrollment, in Tupelo, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Milam Elementary School?
Milam Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Milam Elementary School rank among public schools in Tupelo?
By Resource Investment Index, Milam Elementary School ranks #4 of 12 public 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 public schools in Tupelo on the city page.
Is Milam Elementary School a good school?
Milam Elementary School earns 43/100 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 Tupelo Public School Dist?
Besides Milam Elementary School, Tupelo Public School Dist also operates Tupelo High School (2,123 students), Tupelo Middle School (1,070 students), and Lawhon Elementary School (575 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.