- Enrollment
- 1,016
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Petal, MS
Petal High School
Federal NCES profile for Petal High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 280353001068
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Petal High School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Mississippi schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Mississippi.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Petal · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.5:1
- large classes for Mississippi
- 55.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Petal High School has class sizes larger than 71% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Petal High School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Petal, MS.
School address
District: Petal School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280353001068 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+47 students YoY
Petal High School held near 1,335 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+47 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 91.7 → 94.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+47 students YoY 280353001068 · Petal, MS High · MID · TRAD
1,324 enr · 14.5:1 · 55.5% lunch · RII 37
Nearest enrollment peer: Petal Primary School (1,016 students)
Petal High School held near 1,335 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+47 headcount). Teacher FTE added 91.7 → 94.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Mississippi schools → · Find another →
Petal High School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Petal High School
1,324 students
- Petal Primary
Petal Primary School
1,016 students
- Petal Middle S
Petal Middle School
645 students
- Petal Elementa
Petal Elementary
636 students
- Petal Upper El
Petal Upper Elementary School
632 students
What this shows Petal High School reports 1,324 students on the CCD universe file.
How Petal High School compares
Petal High School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.5:1 | ▲ 9% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.5% | ▼ 31% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,324 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,324
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
55.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 71% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
14.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$11,258
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 441 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
232
in-school suspensions + 74 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 67.6%
African American 18.4%
Hispanic or Latino 9.6%
Two or More 3.7%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 67.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.9, Petal High School is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 14
District finance for Petal School Dist reports $11,258 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Petal High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petal Primary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Petal Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Petal Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Petal Upper Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Petal High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 645
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 636
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 632
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Nationwide high 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 (~1,324 students)
Frequently asked questions about Petal High School
How many students attend Petal High School?
Petal High School has 1,324 students enrolled. It is a high school in Petal, MS. CCD year-over-year: 1,288 (2022-23) → 1,335 (2023-24), nearly flat (+47).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Petal High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Petal High School is 14.5:1, which is 9% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Petal High School?
55.5% of students at Petal High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Petal High School?
The largest demographic group at Petal High School is White at 67.6% of enrollment, in Petal, MS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Petal High School?
Petal High School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Petal High School rank among public schools in Petal?
By Resource Investment Index, Petal High School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Petal, 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 Petal on the city page.
What other schools are in Petal School Dist?
Besides Petal High School, Petal School Dist also operates Petal Primary School (1,016 students), Petal Middle School (645 students), and Petal Elementary (636 students). See the Petal School Dist district page for the complete list.