Enrollment
434
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Meridian, MS
T J Harris Elementary
Federal NCES profile for T J Harris Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 280291000917
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 78
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
T J Harris Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median.
- #2 of 10
- schools in Meridian · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.4:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
T J Harris Elementary has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, T J Harris Elementary ranks #2 of 10 schools in Meridian, MS.
School address
District: Meridian Public Schools · Mississippi
NCES ID 280291000917 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How T J Harris Elementary compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at T J Harris Elementary
T J Harris Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Meridian, Mississippi, enrolling 434 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Mississippi schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 100.0% lands close to the Mississippi typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 434 students, its enrollment sits close to the Mississippi median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Against 270 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #48.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 109 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 51.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 26.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Meridian's public schools, it stands alongside West Lauderdale Elementary School (761 students): T J Harris Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.4:1 vs 15.9:1).
Meridian Public Schools also operates Meridian High School (1,253 students) and Northwest Junior High School (484 students) alongside T J Harris 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 T J Harris Elementary compares
T J Harris 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 | 12.4:1 | ▼ 7% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 434 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 72% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
434
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 37% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 63% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
51.2%
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
$12,633
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 109 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
26
in-school suspensions + 29 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.7 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.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Meridian Public Schools, which includes T J Harris Elementary.
$12,633
Per student
+5%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.9%
State 38.9%
Federal 26.2%
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 T J Harris Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meridian High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northwest Junior High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Magnolia Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Hills Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Poplar Springs Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to T J Harris Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,253
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 484
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 440
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 423
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 405
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
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
Southeast Lauderdale Elementary
Standard public school
562 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Clarkdale Elementary School
Standard public school
527 students 12.9:1 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 (~434 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on T J Harris Elementary's federal record.
- Compare T J Harris Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Meridian Public Schools'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 T J Harris Elementary
How many students attend T J Harris Elementary?
T J Harris Elementary has 434 students enrolled. It is a public school in Meridian, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at T J Harris Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at T J Harris Elementary is 12.4:1, which is 7% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 21% 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 T J Harris Elementary?
100.0% of students at T J Harris Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the Resource Investment Index for T J Harris Elementary?
T J Harris Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher 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 T J Harris Elementary rank among schools in Meridian?
By Resource Investment Index, T J Harris Elementary ranks #2 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 T J Harris Elementary a good school?
T J Harris Elementary earns 50/100 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 Meridian Public Schools?
Besides T J Harris Elementary, Meridian Public Schools also operates Meridian High School (1,253 students), Northwest Junior High School (484 students), and Magnolia Middle School (440 students). See the Meridian Public Schools 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.