- Enrollment
- 1,411
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Canton, MS
Shirley D. Simmons Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Shirley D. Simmons Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 67/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 280279000989
👥 S:T ratio 74
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 75
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Shirley D. Simmons Middle School earns 67/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of Mississippi schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Mississippi.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Canton · Resource Index
- 67
- Resource Index · Higher
- 6.5:1
- small classes for Mississippi
- 96.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Shirley D. Simmons Middle School has class sizes smaller than 99% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Shirley D. Simmons Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Canton, MS.
School address
District: Madison Co School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280279000989 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-7 students YoY
Shirley D. Simmons Middle School held near 139 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-7 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 19.3 → 18.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-7 students YoY 280279000989 · Canton, MS Middle · SMALL · TRAD
124 enr · 6.5:1 · 96.6% lunch · RII 67
Nearest enrollment peer: Germantown High School (1,411 students)
Shirley D. Simmons Middle School held near 139 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-7 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 19.3 → 18.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Mississippi schools → · Find another →
Shirley D. Simmons Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Germantown Hig
Germantown High School
1,411 students
- Madison Centra
Madison Central High School
1,260 students
- Madison Middle
Madison Middle School
1,180 students
- Germantown Mid
Germantown Middle School
1,008 students
- Ridgeland High
Ridgeland High School
995 students
- This school 124
Shirley D. Simmons Middle School
124 students
What this shows Shirley D. Simmons Middle School reports 124 students on the CCD universe file.
How Shirley D. Simmons Middle School compares
Shirley D. Simmons Middle 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 | 6.5:1 | ▼ 51% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 96.6% | ▲ 20% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 124 | top 97% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
6.5:1
Leaner classes than 97% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
124
Bigger than 12% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
96.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% 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
6.5:1
students per teacher
- 51% below state mean
Top 1% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 99% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
21.0%
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
$12,248
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 124 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 73 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 58.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 7 expulsions.
Student demographics
African American 97.6%
Two or More 1.6%
Hispanic or Latino 0.8%
Largest group: African American at 97.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 4.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 4.7, Shirley D. Simmons Middle School is less mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Madison Co School Dist reports $12,248 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Shirley D. Simmons Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germantown High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Madison Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Madison Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Germantown Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ridgeland High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Shirley D. Simmons Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,260
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,180
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 1,008
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 995
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar middle schools in Canton
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nationwide middle 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 (~124 students)
Frequently asked questions about Shirley D. Simmons Middle School
How many students attend Shirley D. Simmons Middle School?
Shirley D. Simmons Middle School has 124 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Canton, MS. CCD year-over-year: 146 (2022-23) → 139 (2023-24), nearly flat (-7).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Shirley D. Simmons Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Shirley D. Simmons Middle School is 6.5:1, which is 51% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 59% 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 Shirley D. Simmons Middle School?
96.6% of students at Shirley D. Simmons Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Shirley D. Simmons Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Shirley D. Simmons Middle School is African American at 97.6% of enrollment, in Canton, MS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Shirley D. Simmons Middle School?
Shirley D. Simmons Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 67/100 (higher 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 Shirley D. Simmons Middle School rank among middle schools in Canton?
By Resource Investment Index, Shirley D. Simmons Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Canton, MS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Canton on the city page.
What other schools are in Madison Co School Dist?
Besides Shirley D. Simmons Middle School, Madison Co School Dist also operates Germantown High School (1,411 students), Madison Central High School (1,260 students), and Madison Middle School (1,180 students). See the Madison Co School Dist district page for the complete list.