Enrollment
761
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Meridian, MS
West Lauderdale Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for West Lauderdale Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 280243001241
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Lauderdale Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Mississippi schools.
- #8 of 10
- schools in Meridian · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.9:1
- large classes for Mississippi
- 41.3%
- free-lunch eligible
West Lauderdale Elementary School has class sizes larger than 87% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Lauderdale Elementary School ranks #8 of 10 schools in Meridian, MS.
School address
District: Lauderdale Co School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280243001241 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.3%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Lauderdale Elementary School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Lauderdale Elementary School
West Lauderdale Elementary School is a large combined-grade school in Meridian, Mississippi, enrolling 761 students.
Class loads run heavy: 15.9:1 is larger than about 87% of Mississippi schools and 20% above the 13.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 41.3% free-meal eligibility runs 49% below the Mississippi average.
Enrollment of 761 puts it in the larger third of Mississippi schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Against 81 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #25.
Its student body is led by White (76%) and African American (16%) (diversity index 39/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 761 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 19.0% 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 Northeast Lauderdale Elementary (730 students): West Lauderdale Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.9:1 vs 11.6:1).
Lauderdale Co School Dist also operates Northeast Lauderdale Elementary (730 students) and Northeast Lauderdale High School (608 students) alongside West Lauderdale 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 Lauderdale Elementary School compares
West Lauderdale 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 | 15.9:1 | ▲ 20% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.3% | ▼ 49% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 761 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
761
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% 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
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 87% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
14.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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 761 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
38
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.7 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.
Student demographics
White 76.2%
African American 15.6%
Hispanic or Latino 4.2%
Two or More 3.4%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 76.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.2, West Lauderdale Elementary School is about as mixed as 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 West Lauderdale Elementary 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 West Lauderdale Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Lauderdale Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northeast Lauderdale High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southeast Lauderdale Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Lauderdale Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Lauderdale High School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Lauderdale Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
- Enrollment
- 535
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Similar other schools in Meridian
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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
T J Harris Elementary
Standard public school
434 students 12.4:1 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 (~761 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Lauderdale Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare West Lauderdale Elementary 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 West Lauderdale Elementary School
How many students attend West Lauderdale Elementary School?
West Lauderdale Elementary School has 761 students enrolled. It is a public school in Meridian, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Lauderdale Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Lauderdale Elementary School is 15.9:1, which is 20% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Lauderdale Elementary School?
41.3% of students at West Lauderdale Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Lauderdale Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at West Lauderdale Elementary School is White at 76.2% of enrollment, in Meridian, MS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Lauderdale Elementary School?
West Lauderdale Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Lauderdale Elementary School rank among schools in Meridian?
By Resource Investment Index, West Lauderdale Elementary School ranks #8 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 West Lauderdale Elementary School a good school?
West Lauderdale Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 Lauderdale Co School Dist?
Besides West Lauderdale Elementary School, Lauderdale Co School Dist also operates Northeast Lauderdale Elementary (730 students), Northeast Lauderdale High School (608 students), and Southeast Lauderdale Elementary (562 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.