- Enrollment
- 599
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Water Valley, MS
Water Valley High School
Federal NCES profile for Water Valley High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 280450000845
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Water Valley High School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 78% of Mississippi schools.
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 11.4:1
- small classes for Mississippi
- 67.9%
- free-lunch eligible
- 398
- students enrolled
Water Valley High School has class sizes smaller than 78% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Water Valley School District · Mississippi
NCES ID 280450000845 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-36 students YoY
Water Valley High School shrank from 436 students in 2022-23 to 400 in 2023-24 (-8.3%).
Teacher FTE lost 35.0 → 34.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-36 students YoY 280450000845 · Water Valley, MS Other · SMALL · TRAD
398 enr · 11.4:1 · 67.9% lunch · RII 30
Nearest enrollment peer: Davidson Elementary School (599 students)
Water Valley High School shrank from 436 students in 2022-23 to 400 in 2023-24 (-8.3%). Teacher FTE lost 35.0 → 34.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Mississippi schools → · Find another →
How Water Valley High School compares
Water Valley High School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.4:1 | ▼ 14% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.9% | ▼ 16% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 398 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.4:1
Leaner classes than 80% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
398
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
67.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% 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
11.4:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 22% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
34.2%
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
$10,907
per pupil, district-wide
- below Mississippi avg of $13,683
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 398 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
130
in-school suspensions + 29 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 32.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 39.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Two or More 62.1%
African American 21.9%
White 13.1%
Hispanic or Latino 2.8%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: Two or More at 62.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.8, Water Valley High School is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 5
District finance for Water Valley School District reports $10,907 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Water Valley High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davidson Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Water Valley High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
Similar other schools in Water Valley
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~398 students)
Frequently asked questions about Water Valley High School
How many students attend Water Valley High School?
Water Valley High School has 398 students enrolled. It is a public school in Water Valley, MS. CCD year-over-year: 436 (2022-23) → 400 (2023-24), down 36.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Water Valley High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Water Valley High School is 11.4:1, which is 14% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 27% 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 Water Valley High School?
67.9% of students at Water Valley High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Water Valley High School?
The largest demographic group at Water Valley High School is Two or More at 62.1% of enrollment, in Water Valley, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Water Valley High School?
Water Valley High School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Water Valley School District?
Besides Water Valley High School, Water Valley School District also operates Davidson Elementary School (599 students). See the Water Valley School District district page for the complete list.