Enrollment
1,300
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Ellisville, MS
South Jones High School
Federal NCES profile for South Jones High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 280228000450
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Jones High School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Mississippi schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Mississippi.
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.8:1
- large classes for Mississippi
- 62.6%
- free-lunch eligible
- 1,300
- students enrolled
South Jones High School has class sizes larger than 77% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Jones Co School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280228000450 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
88.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.6%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Jones High School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Jones High School
South Jones High School is a higher-need, large combined-grade school in Ellisville, Mississippi, enrolling 1,300 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Mississippi schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 62.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Mississippi, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,300 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Against 61 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #44.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and African American (18%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 433 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Jones Co School Dist spends $8,887 per pupil, 26% below the Mississippi average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 309 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,300 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 21 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Ellisville's public schools, it stands alongside South Jones Elementary School (1,129 students): South Jones High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.8:1 vs 15.7:1).
Jones Co School Dist also operates West Jones High School (1,587 students) and South Jones Elementary School (1,129 students) alongside South Jones 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 South Jones High School compares
South Jones 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 | 14.8:1 | ▲ 11% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.6% | ▼ 22% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,300 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,300
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% 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
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 77% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.3%
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
$8,887
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 433 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
153
in-school suspensions + 156 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 21 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 67.3%
African American 17.8%
Hispanic or Latino 12.2%
Two or More 2.1%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 67.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.0, South Jones High School is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jones Co School Dist, which includes South Jones High School.
$8,887
Per student
-26%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-46%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.7%
State 51.6%
Federal 19.7%
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 South Jones High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Jones High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Jones Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Jones Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northeast Jones High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Jones Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Jones High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,587
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,129
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,114
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 938
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 854
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Ellisville
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~1,300 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Jones High School's federal record.
- Compare South Jones High School against another school. Compare schools
- Jones Co 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 South Jones High School
How many students attend South Jones High School?
South Jones High School has 1,300 students enrolled. It is a public school in Ellisville, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Jones High School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Jones High School is 14.8:1, which is 11% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Jones High School?
62.6% of students at South Jones High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Jones High School?
The largest demographic group at South Jones High School is White at 67.3% of enrollment, in Ellisville, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Jones High School?
South Jones High School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
Is South Jones High School a good school?
South Jones High School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Mississippi schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Mississippi. 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 Jones Co School Dist?
Besides South Jones High School, Jones Co School Dist also operates West Jones High School (1,587 students), South Jones Elementary School (1,129 students), and West Jones Elementary School (1,114 students). See the Jones Co 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.