Enrollment
504
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Olive Branch, MS
Olive Branch Elem
Federal NCES profile for Olive Branch Elem, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 280132000192
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 15
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Olive Branch Elem earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Mississippi schools.
- #2 of 3
- schools in Olive Branch · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12:1
- students per teacher
- 59.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Olive Branch Elem has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Olive Branch Elem ranks #2 of 3 schools in Olive Branch, MS.
School address
District: Desoto Co School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280132000192 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.4%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Olive Branch Elem compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Olive Branch Elem
Olive Branch Elem is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Olive Branch, Mississippi, enrolling 504 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12:1 puts it in the smaller third of Mississippi schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 59.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 504 puts it in the larger third of Mississippi schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 877 Mississippi schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 162 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Mississippi schools statewide, it ranks #153, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (42%) and White (36%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 504 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Desoto Co School Dist spends $8,778 per pupil, 27% below the Mississippi average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Olive Branch's public schools, it stands alongside Pleasant Hill Elementary (1,079 students): Olive Branch Elem is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12:1 vs 13.8:1).
Desoto Co School Dist also operates Desoto Central High School (2,004 students) and Southaven High School (1,876 students) alongside Olive Branch Elem.
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 Olive Branch Elem compares
Olive Branch Elem on the metrics families compare, against Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12:1 | ▼ 10% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.4% | ▼ 26% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 504 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
504
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
12:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 31% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 69% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
34.1%
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
$8,778
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 504 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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 41.7%
White 35.7%
Hispanic or Latino 12.5%
Two or More 8.9%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 41.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.5, Olive Branch Elem is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Desoto Co School Dist, which includes Olive Branch Elem.
$8,778
Per student
-27%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-47%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.8%
State 51.9%
Federal 14.3%
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 Olive Branch Elem Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desoto Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southaven High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hernando High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southaven Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Desoto Central Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Olive Branch Elem's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,004
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,876
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,529
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,423
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,388
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar other schools in Olive Branch
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other 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 (~504 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Olive Branch Elem's federal record.
- Compare Olive Branch Elem against another school. Compare schools
- Desoto 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 Olive Branch Elem
How many students attend Olive Branch Elem?
Olive Branch Elem has 504 students enrolled. It is a public school in Olive Branch, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Olive Branch Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Olive Branch Elem is 12:1, which is 10% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 24% 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 Olive Branch Elem?
59.4% of students at Olive Branch Elem are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Olive Branch Elem?
The largest demographic group at Olive Branch Elem is African American at 41.7% of enrollment, in Olive Branch, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Olive Branch Elem?
Olive Branch Elem has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (lower 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 Olive Branch Elem rank among schools in Olive Branch?
By Resource Investment Index, Olive Branch Elem ranks #2 of 3 schools in Olive Branch, MS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Olive Branch on the city page.
Is Olive Branch Elem a good school?
Olive Branch Elem earns 24/100 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 Desoto Co School Dist?
Besides Olive Branch Elem, Desoto Co School Dist also operates Desoto Central High School (2,004 students), Southaven High School (1,876 students), and Hernando High School (1,529 students). See the Desoto 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.