Enrollment
269
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Clarksdale, MS
W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy
Federal NCES profile for W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 280105000119
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median.
- #3 of 10
- public schools in Clarksdale · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy ranks #3 of 10 public schools in Clarksdale, MS.
School address
District: Clarksdale Municipal School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280105000119 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy
W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Clarksdale, Mississippi, enrolling 269 students.
At 13.4:1, 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.
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.
Enrollment of 269 puts it in the smaller third of Mississippi schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Against 247 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #158.
Its student body is led by African American (56%) and Two or More (42%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 269 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 85.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 42.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 162 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 269 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Clarksdale Municipal School Dist also operates Clarksdale High School (473 students) and Geo H Oliver Visual/Perf. Arts (299 students) alongside W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy.
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 W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy compares
W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy on the metrics families compare, against Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.4:1 | ▲ 1% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 269 | top 78% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
269
Bigger than 28% 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
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 53% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
85.9%
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
$12,180
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 269 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
29
in-school suspensions + 133 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 60.2 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
African American 55.8%
Two or More 41.6%
White 1.5%
Hispanic or Latino 1.1%
Largest group: African American at 55.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.5, W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Clarksdale Municipal School Dist, which includes W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy.
$12,180
Per student
+2%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.8%
State 39.5%
Federal 42.7%
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 W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksdale High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Geo H Oliver Visual/Perf. Arts | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kirkpatrick Health /Wellness | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Booker T Washington Intern. Studies | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heidelberg School Math & Science | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 473
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 299
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 266
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 247
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 198
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar middle 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 (~269 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy's federal record.
- Compare W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Clarksdale Municipal 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 W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy
How many students attend W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy?
W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy has 269 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Clarksdale, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy is 13.4:1, which is 1% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 15% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy?
100.0% of students at W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy?
The largest demographic group at W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy is African American at 55.8% of enrollment, in Clarksdale, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy?
W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy 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 W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy rank among public schools in Clarksdale?
By Resource Investment Index, W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy ranks #3 of 10 public schools in Clarksdale, 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 Clarksdale on the city page.
Is W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy a good school?
W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy 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 Clarksdale Municipal School Dist?
Besides W.a. Higgins Middle School Academy, Clarksdale Municipal School Dist also operates Clarksdale High School (473 students), Geo H Oliver Visual/Perf. Arts (299 students), and Kirkpatrick Health /Wellness (266 students). See the Clarksdale Municipal 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.