Enrollment
465
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Picayune, MS
Picayune Junior High School
Federal NCES profile for Picayune Junior High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 280363000697
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 7
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Picayune Junior High School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Mississippi schools.
- #10 of 10
- public schools in Picayune · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.5:1
- large classes for Mississippi
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Picayune Junior High School has class sizes larger than 83% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Picayune Junior High School ranks #10 of 10 public schools in Picayune, MS.
School address
District: Picayune School District · Mississippi
NCES ID 280363000697 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Picayune Junior High School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Picayune Junior High School
Picayune Junior High School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Picayune, Mississippi, enrolling 465 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Mississippi schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 100.0% lands close to the Mississippi typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 465 students, its enrollment sits close to the Mississippi median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 877 Mississippi schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 257 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Mississippi schools statewide, it ranks #245, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (58%) and African American (27%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 465 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 34.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 476 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 465 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Picayune School District also operates Picayune Memorial High School (940 students) and West Side Elementary School (444 students) alongside Picayune Junior High 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 Picayune Junior High School compares
Picayune Junior High 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 | 15.5:1 | ▲ 17% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 465 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
465
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
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
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 83% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
34.6%
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
$11,953
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 465 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
188
in-school suspensions + 288 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 40.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 102.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 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
White 57.6%
African American 27.3%
Hispanic or Latino 10.3%
Two or More 4.1%
Asian 0.6%
Largest group: White at 57.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.1, Picayune Junior High School is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Picayune School District, which includes Picayune Junior High School.
$11,953
Per student
0%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.2%
State 38.7%
Federal 34.0%
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 Picayune Junior High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Picayune Memorial High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Side Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Roseland Park Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nicholson Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Side Lower Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Picayune Junior High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 940
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 444
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 370
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 324
- Students per teacher
- 11.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 320
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
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 (~465 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Picayune Junior High School's federal record.
- Compare Picayune Junior High School against another school. Compare schools
- Picayune School District'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 Picayune Junior High School
How many students attend Picayune Junior High School?
Picayune Junior High School has 465 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Picayune, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Picayune Junior High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Picayune Junior High School is 15.5:1, which is 17% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Picayune Junior High School?
100.0% of students at Picayune Junior High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Picayune Junior High School?
The largest demographic group at Picayune Junior High School is White at 57.6% of enrollment, in Picayune, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Picayune Junior High School?
Picayune Junior High School has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (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 Picayune Junior High School rank among public schools in Picayune?
By Resource Investment Index, Picayune Junior High School ranks #10 of 10 public schools in Picayune, 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 Picayune on the city page.
Is Picayune Junior High School a good school?
Picayune Junior High School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of 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 Picayune School District?
Besides Picayune Junior High School, Picayune School District also operates Picayune Memorial High School (940 students), West Side Elementary School (444 students), and Roseland Park Elementary School (370 students). See the Picayune School District 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.