Enrollment
361
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Pontotoc, MS
Pontotoc Junior High School
Federal NCES profile for Pontotoc Junior High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 280369001162
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 2
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pontotoc Junior High School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Mississippi schools.
- #6 of 7
- public schools in Pontotoc · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12.4:1
- students per teacher
- 71.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Pontotoc Junior High School has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pontotoc Junior High School ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Pontotoc, MS.
School address
District: Pontotoc City Schools · Mississippi
NCES ID 280369001162 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.7%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pontotoc Junior High School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pontotoc Junior High School
Pontotoc Junior High School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Pontotoc, Mississippi, enrolling 361 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Mississippi schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 71.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 361 students, its enrollment sits close to the Mississippi median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Among 133 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Mississippi schools statewide, it ranks #126, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (48%) and African American (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 361 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 172 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 361 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Pontotoc's middle schools, it stands alongside South Pontotoc Middle School (379 students): Pontotoc Junior High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.4:1 vs 13.5:1).
Pontotoc City Schools also operates Pontotoc High School (712 students) and Pontotoc Elementary School (657 students) alongside Pontotoc 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 Pontotoc Junior High School compares
Pontotoc 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 | 12.4:1 | ▼ 7% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.7% | ▼ 11% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 361 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 72% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
361
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% 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
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 37% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 63% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
39.1%
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
$9,827
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 361 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
93
in-school suspensions + 79 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 25.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 47.6 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
White 47.6%
African American 22.7%
Hispanic or Latino 21.9%
Two or More 7.2%
Asian 0.6%
Largest group: White at 47.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.9, Pontotoc Junior High School is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pontotoc City Schools, which includes Pontotoc Junior High School.
$9,827
Per student
-18%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.6%
State 56.0%
Federal 24.4%
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 Pontotoc Junior High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pontotoc High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pontotoc Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| D T Cox Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pontotoc Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pontotoc Junior High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 712
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 657
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 354
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 316
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar middle schools in Pontotoc
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 (~361 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pontotoc Junior High School's federal record.
- Compare Pontotoc Junior High School against another school. Compare schools
- Pontotoc City Schools'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 Pontotoc Junior High School
How many students attend Pontotoc Junior High School?
Pontotoc Junior High School has 361 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Pontotoc, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pontotoc Junior High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Pontotoc Junior High School is 12.4:1, which is 7% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 21% 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 Pontotoc Junior High School?
71.7% of students at Pontotoc Junior High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pontotoc Junior High School?
The largest demographic group at Pontotoc Junior High School is White at 47.6% of enrollment, in Pontotoc, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pontotoc Junior High School?
Pontotoc Junior High School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (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 Pontotoc Junior High School rank among public schools in Pontotoc?
By Resource Investment Index, Pontotoc Junior High School ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Pontotoc, 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 Pontotoc on the city page.
Is Pontotoc Junior High School a good school?
Pontotoc Junior High School earns 28/100 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 Pontotoc City Schools?
Besides Pontotoc Junior High School, Pontotoc City Schools also operates Pontotoc High School (712 students), Pontotoc Elementary School (657 students), and D T Cox Elementary School (354 students). See the Pontotoc City Schools 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.