Enrollment
375
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tupelo, MS
Rankin Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Rankin Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 280432000817
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 25
📋 Attendance 39
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rankin Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of Mississippi schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Mississippi schools.
- #2 of 8
- elementary schools in Tupelo · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.7:1
- small classes for Mississippi
- 74.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Rankin Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 73% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rankin Elementary School ranks #2 of 8 elementary schools in Tupelo, MS.
School address
District: Tupelo Public School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280432000817 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.7:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.2%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rankin Elementary School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rankin Elementary School
Rankin Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Tupelo, Mississippi, enrolling 375 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Mississippi schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 74.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 375 students, its enrollment sits close to the Mississippi median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Against 132 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #50.
Its student body is led by African American (51%) and White (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 375 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 18.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 86 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 375 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Tupelo's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lawhon Elementary School (575 students): Rankin Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.7:1 vs 13.4:1).
Tupelo Public School Dist also operates Tupelo High School (2,123 students) and Tupelo Middle School (1,070 students) alongside Rankin 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 Rankin Elementary School compares
Rankin 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 | 11.7:1 | ▼ 12% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.2% | ▼ 8% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 375 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.7:1
Leaner classes than 78% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
375
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% 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
11.7:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 27% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
24.3%
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
$11,682
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 375 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
40
in-school suspensions + 46 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 22.9 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 50.7%
White 32.0%
Hispanic or Latino 11.7%
Two or More 4.3%
Asian 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 50.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.5, Rankin Elementary School is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tupelo Public School Dist, which includes Rankin Elementary School.
$11,682
Per student
-3%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.5%
State 38.9%
Federal 18.6%
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 Rankin Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tupelo High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tupelo Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lawhon Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Milam Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Joyner Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rankin Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,123
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,070
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 575
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 456
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 444
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar elementary schools in Tupelo
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lawhon Elementary School
Standard public school
575 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Joyner Elementary School
Standard public school
444 students 10.3:1 students per teacher
Parkway Elementary School
Standard public school
418 students 10:1 students per teacher
Lawndale Elementary School
Standard public school
378 students 11.5:1 students per teacher
Thomas Street Elementary School
Standard public school
374 students 8.9:1 students per teacher
Pierce Street Elementary School
Standard public school
345 students 11.1:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~375 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rankin Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Rankin Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Tupelo Public 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 Rankin Elementary School
How many students attend Rankin Elementary School?
Rankin Elementary School has 375 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tupelo, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rankin Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Rankin Elementary School is 11.7:1, which is 12% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 25% 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 Rankin Elementary School?
74.2% of students at Rankin Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rankin Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Rankin Elementary School is African American at 50.7% of enrollment, in Tupelo, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rankin Elementary School?
Rankin Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical 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 Rankin Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Tupelo?
By Resource Investment Index, Rankin Elementary School ranks #2 of 8 elementary schools in Tupelo, MS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Tupelo on the city page.
Is Rankin Elementary School a good school?
Rankin Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of Mississippi schools. 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 Tupelo Public School Dist?
Besides Rankin Elementary School, Tupelo Public School Dist also operates Tupelo High School (2,123 students), Tupelo Middle School (1,070 students), and Lawhon Elementary School (575 students). See the Tupelo Public 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.