Enrollment
405
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Meridian, MS
Poplar Springs Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Poplar Springs Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 58/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 280291000572
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Poplar Springs Elementary School earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Mississippi schools.
- #1 of 10
- schools in Meridian · Resource Index
- 58
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.5:1
- large classes for Mississippi
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Poplar Springs Elementary School has class sizes larger than 71% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Poplar Springs Elementary School ranks #1 of 10 schools in Meridian, MS.
School address
District: Meridian Public Schools · Mississippi
NCES ID 280291000572 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.5:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Poplar Springs Elementary School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Poplar Springs Elementary School
Poplar Springs Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Meridian, Mississippi, enrolling 405 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.5:1 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 405 students, its enrollment sits close to the Mississippi median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 93% of the 877 Mississippi schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 294 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Mississippi schools statewide, it ranks #12, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 29/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 203 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
15.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 26.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Meridian's public schools, it stands alongside West Lauderdale Elementary School (761 students): Poplar Springs Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.5:1 vs 15.9:1).
Meridian Public Schools also operates Meridian High School (1,253 students) and Northwest Junior High School (484 students) alongside Poplar Springs Elementary 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 Poplar Springs Elementary School compares
Poplar Springs Elementary 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 | 14.5:1 | ▲ 9% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 405 | top 51% | - | - |
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.
405
Bigger than 48% 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
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
15.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,633
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 203 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
45
in-school suspensions + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.5 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 83.7%
White 7.9%
Two or More 4.4%
Hispanic or Latino 3.5%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 83.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 29.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 29.0, Poplar Springs Elementary School is less mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Meridian Public Schools, which includes Poplar Springs Elementary School.
$12,633
Per student
+5%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.9%
State 38.9%
Federal 26.2%
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 Poplar Springs Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meridian High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northwest Junior High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Magnolia Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| T J Harris Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Hills Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Poplar Springs Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,253
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 484
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- 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
Similar other schools in Meridian
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
West Lauderdale Elementary School
Standard public school
761 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Northeast Lauderdale Elementary
Standard public school
730 students 11.6:1 students per teacher
Southeast Lauderdale Elementary
Standard public school
562 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Clarkdale Elementary School
Standard public school
527 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
T J Harris Elementary
Standard public school
434 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
West Hills Elementary School
Standard public school
423 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
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 (~405 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Poplar Springs Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Poplar Springs Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Meridian Public 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 Poplar Springs Elementary School
How many students attend Poplar Springs Elementary School?
Poplar Springs Elementary School has 405 students enrolled. It is a public school in Meridian, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Poplar Springs Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Poplar Springs Elementary 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 Poplar Springs Elementary School?
100.0% of students at Poplar Springs Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Poplar Springs Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Poplar Springs Elementary School is African American at 83.7% of enrollment, in Meridian, MS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Poplar Springs Elementary School?
Poplar Springs Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 58/100 (higher 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 Poplar Springs Elementary School rank among schools in Meridian?
By Resource Investment Index, Poplar Springs Elementary School ranks #1 of 10 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 schools in Meridian on the city page.
Is Poplar Springs Elementary School a good school?
Poplar Springs Elementary School earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% 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 Meridian Public Schools?
Besides Poplar Springs Elementary School, Meridian Public Schools also operates Meridian High School (1,253 students), Northwest Junior High School (484 students), and Magnolia Middle School (440 students). See the Meridian Public 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.