Enrollment
492
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gulfport, MS
West Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for West Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 280171000279
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 2
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Elementary School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of Mississippi schools.
- #4 of 5
- schools in Gulfport · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.7:1
- small classes for Mississippi
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
West Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 73% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 schools in Gulfport, MS.
School address
District: Gulfport School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280171000279 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.7:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Elementary School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Elementary School
West Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Gulfport, Mississippi, enrolling 492 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.7:1 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 492 students, its enrollment sits close to the Mississippi median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Against 245 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #158.
Its student body is led by African American (74%) and White (10%) (diversity index 43/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 492 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Gulfport's public schools, it stands alongside Anniston Avenue Elementary School (482 students): West Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.7:1 vs 11.8:1).
Gulfport School Dist also operates Gulfport High School (1,702 students) and Bayou View Middle School (827 students) alongside West Elementary 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 West Elementary School compares
West Elementary 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 | 11.7:1 | ▼ 12% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 492 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.7:1
Leaner classes than 78% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
492
Bigger than 61% 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
11.7:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 27% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
31.9%
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
$10,227
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 492 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 73.8%
White 10.0%
Hispanic or Latino 9.8%
Two or More 5.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 73.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.3, West Elementary School is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gulfport School Dist, which includes West Elementary School.
$10,227
Per student
-15%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.9%
State 38.6%
Federal 24.5%
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 West Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bayou View Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bayou View Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gulfport Central Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Anniston Avenue Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,702
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 827
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 638
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 568
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 482
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar other schools in Gulfport
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Anniston Avenue Elementary School
Standard public school
482 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Central Elem
Standard public school
482 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Pass Road Elementary School
Standard public school
377 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Twenty Eighth St Elem
Standard public school
359 students 12.4:1 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 (~492 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare West Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Gulfport 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 West Elementary School
How many students attend West Elementary School?
West Elementary School has 492 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gulfport, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Elementary School is 11.7:1, which is 12% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 25% 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 West Elementary School?
100.0% of students at West Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at West Elementary School is African American at 73.8% of enrollment, in Gulfport, MS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Elementary School?
West Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 West Elementary School rank among schools in Gulfport?
By Resource Investment Index, West Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 schools in Gulfport, MS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Gulfport on the city page.
Is West Elementary School a good school?
West Elementary School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% 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 Gulfport School Dist?
Besides West Elementary School, Gulfport School Dist also operates Gulfport High School (1,702 students), Bayou View Middle School (827 students), and Bayou View Elementary School (638 students). See the Gulfport 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.