Enrollment
562
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Meridian, MS
Southeast Lauderdale Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Southeast Lauderdale Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 280243001573
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southeast Lauderdale Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Mississippi schools.
- #9 of 10
- schools in Meridian · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.6:1
- large classes for Mississippi
- 58.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Southeast Lauderdale Elementary has class sizes larger than 84% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southeast Lauderdale Elementary ranks #9 of 10 schools in Meridian, MS.
School address
District: Lauderdale Co School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280243001573 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.3%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southeast Lauderdale Elementary compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southeast Lauderdale Elementary
Southeast Lauderdale Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Meridian, Mississippi, enrolling 562 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Mississippi schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 58.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 562 puts it in the larger third of Mississippi schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Against 165 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #88.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and African American (30%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 562 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 19.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Meridian's public schools, it stands alongside West Lauderdale Elementary School (761 students): Southeast Lauderdale Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.6:1 vs 15.9:1).
Lauderdale Co School Dist also operates West Lauderdale Elementary School (761 students) and Northeast Lauderdale Elementary (730 students) alongside Southeast Lauderdale Elementary.
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 Southeast Lauderdale Elementary compares
Southeast Lauderdale Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.6:1 | ▲ 17% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.3% | ▼ 28% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 562 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
562
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% 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
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 84% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
22.6%
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
$10,345
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 562 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
39
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 64.6%
African American 29.5%
Two or More 3.2%
Hispanic or Latino 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 64.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.4, Southeast Lauderdale Elementary is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lauderdale Co School Dist, which includes Southeast Lauderdale Elementary.
$10,345
Per student
-14%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.1%
State 50.9%
Federal 19.0%
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 Southeast Lauderdale Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Lauderdale Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northeast Lauderdale Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northeast Lauderdale High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Lauderdale Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Lauderdale High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southeast Lauderdale Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 761
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 730
- Students per teacher
- 11.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 608
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 537
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 535
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
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
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
Clarkdale High School
Standard public school
422 students 12.1:1 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 (~562 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southeast Lauderdale Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Southeast Lauderdale Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Lauderdale 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 Southeast Lauderdale Elementary
How many students attend Southeast Lauderdale Elementary?
Southeast Lauderdale Elementary has 562 students enrolled. It is a public school in Meridian, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southeast Lauderdale Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Southeast Lauderdale Elementary is 15.6:1, which is 17% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southeast Lauderdale Elementary?
58.3% of students at Southeast Lauderdale Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southeast Lauderdale Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Southeast Lauderdale Elementary is White at 64.6% of enrollment, in Meridian, MS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southeast Lauderdale Elementary?
Southeast Lauderdale Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Southeast Lauderdale Elementary rank among schools in Meridian?
By Resource Investment Index, Southeast Lauderdale Elementary ranks #9 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 Southeast Lauderdale Elementary a good school?
Southeast Lauderdale Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% 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 Lauderdale Co School Dist?
Besides Southeast Lauderdale Elementary, Lauderdale Co School Dist also operates West Lauderdale Elementary School (761 students), Northeast Lauderdale Elementary (730 students), and Northeast Lauderdale High School (608 students). See the Lauderdale 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.