Enrollment
371
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Meridian, MS
Southeast Lauderdale Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Southeast Lauderdale Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 280243001174
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southeast Lauderdale Middle School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median.
- #11 of 17
- public schools in Meridian · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 60.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Southeast Lauderdale Middle School has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southeast Lauderdale Middle School ranks #11 of 17 public schools in Meridian, MS.
School address
District: Lauderdale Co School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280243001174 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.0%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southeast Lauderdale Middle School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southeast Lauderdale Middle School
Southeast Lauderdale Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Meridian, Mississippi, enrolling 371 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Mississippi schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 60.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 371 students, its enrollment sits close to the Mississippi median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Against 113 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #59.
Its student body is led by White (59%) and African American (32%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 371 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data 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 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Meridian's elementary schools, it stands alongside Northeast Lauderdale Middle School (520 students): Southeast Lauderdale Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.3:1 vs 13:1).
Lauderdale Co School Dist also operates West Lauderdale Elementary School (761 students) and Northeast Lauderdale Elementary (730 students) alongside Southeast Lauderdale Middle 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 Southeast Lauderdale Middle School compares
Southeast Lauderdale Middle 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 | 14.3:1 | ▲ 8% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.0% | ▼ 25% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 371 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
371
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% 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
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 69% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
29.1%
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 371 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 38 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 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 58.5%
African American 32.1%
Two or More 4.6%
Hispanic or Latino 4.3%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 58.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.1, Southeast Lauderdale Middle School 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 Middle School.
$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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Lauderdale Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northeast Lauderdale Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northeast Lauderdale High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southeast Lauderdale Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Lauderdale Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southeast Lauderdale Middle School'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
- 562
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 537
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar elementary schools in Meridian
1 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 (~371 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southeast Lauderdale Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Southeast Lauderdale Middle School 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 Middle School
How many students attend Southeast Lauderdale Middle School?
Southeast Lauderdale Middle School has 371 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Meridian, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southeast Lauderdale Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southeast Lauderdale Middle School is 14.3:1, which is 8% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 9% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southeast Lauderdale Middle School?
60.0% of students at Southeast Lauderdale Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southeast Lauderdale Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Southeast Lauderdale Middle School is White at 58.5% of enrollment, in Meridian, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southeast Lauderdale Middle School?
Southeast Lauderdale Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Middle School rank among public schools in Meridian?
By Resource Investment Index, Southeast Lauderdale Middle School ranks #11 of 17 public 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 public schools in Meridian on the city page.
Is Southeast Lauderdale Middle School a good school?
Southeast Lauderdale Middle School earns 41/100 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 Lauderdale Co School Dist?
Besides Southeast Lauderdale Middle School, 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.