Enrollment
776
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Pontotoc, MS
South Pontotoc Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Pontotoc Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 280366001010
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Pontotoc Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median.
- #3 of 3
- elementary schools in Pontotoc · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12.7:1
- students per teacher
- 68.3%
- free-lunch eligible
South Pontotoc Elementary School has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Pontotoc Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Pontotoc, MS.
School address
District: Pontotoc Co School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280366001010 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
61.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.7:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.3%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Pontotoc Elementary School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Pontotoc Elementary School
South Pontotoc Elementary School is a higher-need, large elementary school in Pontotoc, Mississippi, enrolling 776 students.
At 12.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Mississippi median, within a few percentage points of the 13.3:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 68.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 776 puts it in the larger third of Mississippi schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Among 138 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Mississippi schools statewide, it ranks #107, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (80%) and Hispanic or Latino (8%) (diversity index 35/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 776 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Pontotoc Co School Dist spends $9,404 per pupil, 22% below the Mississippi average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 24.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Pontotoc's elementary schools, it stands alongside D T Cox Elementary School (354 students): South Pontotoc Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.7:1 vs 11.8:1).
Pontotoc Co School Dist also operates North Pontotoc Elementary School (762 students) and North Pontotoc High School (488 students) alongside South Pontotoc 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 South Pontotoc Elementary School compares
South Pontotoc 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 | 12.7:1 | ▼ 5% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.3% | ▼ 15% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 776 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.7:1
Leaner classes than 69% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
776
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% 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
12.7:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 41% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
39.7%
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
$9,404
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 776 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
47
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.5 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
White 79.6%
Hispanic or Latino 8.1%
African American 7.6%
Two or More 4.6%
Largest group: White at 79.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.2, South Pontotoc 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 Pontotoc Co School Dist, which includes South Pontotoc Elementary School.
$9,404
Per student
-22%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-43%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.6%
State 56.1%
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 South Pontotoc Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Pontotoc Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Pontotoc High School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Pontotoc High School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Pontotoc Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Pontotoc Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Pontotoc Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 762
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 488
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 455
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 379
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 308
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar elementary schools in Pontotoc
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~776 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Pontotoc Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South Pontotoc Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Pontotoc 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 Pontotoc Elementary School
How many students attend South Pontotoc Elementary School?
South Pontotoc Elementary School has 776 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Pontotoc, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Pontotoc Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Pontotoc Elementary School is 12.7:1, which is 5% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 19% 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 South Pontotoc Elementary School?
68.3% of students at South Pontotoc Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Pontotoc Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Pontotoc Elementary School is White at 79.6% of enrollment, in Pontotoc, MS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Pontotoc Elementary School?
South Pontotoc Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 South Pontotoc Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Pontotoc?
By Resource Investment Index, South Pontotoc Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 elementary 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 elementary schools in Pontotoc on the city page.
Is South Pontotoc Elementary School a good school?
South Pontotoc Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median. 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 Co School Dist?
Besides South Pontotoc Elementary School, Pontotoc Co School Dist also operates North Pontotoc Elementary School (762 students), North Pontotoc High School (488 students), and South Pontotoc High School (455 students). See the Pontotoc 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.