- Enrollment
- 1,253
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Meridian, MS
Northwest Junior High School
Federal NCES profile for Northwest Junior High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 280291000569
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 52
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northwest Junior High School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median.
- #7 of 17
- public schools in Meridian · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.7:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Northwest Junior High School has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northwest Junior High School ranks #7 of 17 public schools in Meridian, MS.
School address
District: Meridian Public Schools · Mississippi
NCES ID 280291000569 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-48 students YoY
Northwest Junior High School shrank from 566 students in 2022-23 to 518 in 2023-24 (-8.5%).
Teacher FTE added 38.0 → 39.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-48 students YoY 280291000569 · Meridian, MS Middle · SMALL · TRAD
484 enr · 12.7:1 · 100.0% lunch · RII 45
Nearest enrollment peer: Meridian High School (1,253 students)
Northwest Junior High School shrank from 566 students in 2022-23 to 518 in 2023-24 (-8.5%). Teacher FTE added 38.0 → 39.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Mississippi schools → · Find another →
Northwest Junior High School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Meridian High
Meridian High School
1,253 students
- This school 484
Northwest Junior High School
484 students
- Magnolia Middl 440
Magnolia Middle School
440 students
- T J Harris El 434
T J Harris Elementary
434 students
- West Hills Ele 423
West Hills Elementary School
423 students
- Poplar Springs 405
Poplar Springs Elementary School
405 students
What this shows Northwest Junior High School reports 484 students on the CCD universe file.
How Northwest Junior High School compares
Northwest Junior High 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 | 12.7:1 | ▼ 5% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 484 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.7:1
Leaner classes than 69% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
484
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
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
12.7:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 41% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
36.6%
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
$14,308
per pupil, district-wide
- above Mississippi avg of $13,683
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 242 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
66
in-school suspensions + 115 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 37.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Student demographics
African American 90.3%
Hispanic or Latino 3.9%
White 2.7%
Two or More 2.7%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 90.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 18.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 18.2, Northwest Junior High School is less mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Meridian Public Schools reports $14,308 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Northwest Junior High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meridian High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Magnolia Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| T J Harris Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Hills Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Poplar Springs Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northwest Junior High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 440
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 434
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 423
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 405
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
Similar middle schools in Meridian
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nationwide middle 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 (~484 students)
Frequently asked questions about Northwest Junior High School
How many students attend Northwest Junior High School?
Northwest Junior High School has 484 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Meridian, MS. CCD year-over-year: 566 (2022-23) → 518 (2023-24), down 48.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwest Junior High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northwest Junior High School is 12.7:1, which is 5% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 19% 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 Northwest Junior High School?
100.0% of students at Northwest Junior High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northwest Junior High School?
The largest demographic group at Northwest Junior High School is African American at 90.3% of enrollment, in Meridian, MS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northwest Junior High School?
Northwest Junior High School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical 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 Northwest Junior High School rank among public schools in Meridian?
By Resource Investment Index, Northwest Junior High School ranks #7 of 17 public schools in Meridian, 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 Meridian on the city page.
What other schools are in Meridian Public Schools?
Besides Northwest Junior High School, Meridian Public Schools also operates Meridian High School (1,253 students), Magnolia Middle School (440 students), and T J Harris Elementary (434 students). See the Meridian Public Schools district page for the complete list.