Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 42 schools in district

OLIVE BRANCH MIDDLE

6530 S. BLOCKER STREET, OLIVE BRANCH, MS 38654DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 06–08Non-Charter
726
Students
Total enrolled
$9,536
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 34% vs nat'l
14.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 6% vs nat'l
40/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 20% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 726 students in grades 06–08 in OLIVE BRANCH, Mississippi.
34% below average funding
District spends $9,536 per pupil, 34% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 40th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

OLIVE BRANCH MIDDLE is a large middle in OLIVE BRANCH, Mississippi, serving grades 06–08 with 726 students. The district invests $9,536 per student — 34% below the national average of $14,347, with a 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at OLIVE BRANCH MIDDLE

726
Total Students
14.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
100%
Free Lunch
50
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (06–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution375 male · 351 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility100%
National avg 52% · 723 students
Student Composition
32%
51%
11%
Asian1%
White32%
Hispanic / Latino5%
Black51%
Multiracial11%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 280132000194

Academic Outcomes at OLIVE BRANCH MIDDLE

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
40
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 40th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 30th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 38654

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$9,536Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$9,536
State avg
$14,449
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$4,196
Student Support$1,812
Administration$1,144
Operations$1,430
Other$954
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $9,536 spent per student, an estimated $4,224 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
52%
34%
State government
51.9%
Local (property tax)
33.8%
Federal programs
14.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $9,536/student, 34% less than the national average
  • 100% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
PLEASANT HILL ELEMENTARYSOUTHAVEN INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLHORN LAKE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLDESOTO CENTRAL PRIMARY
+11 more
↓
Middle
DESOTO CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOLSOUTHAVEN MIDDLE SCHOOLHERNANDO MIDDLE SCHOOLLEWISBURG MIDDLE
+3 more
↓
High School
DESOTO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOLSOUTHAVEN HIGH SCHOOLHERNANDO HIGH SCHOOLHORN LAKE HIGH
+4 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location—
CountyDeSoto County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictDESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST →
Phone: (662)895-4610
NCES ID: 280132000194
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in OLIVE BRANCH seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST
High
DESOTO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
1,995 students · 09–12
100% FRL
High
SOUTHAVEN HIGH SCHOOL
1,850 students · 09–12
100% FRL
Mid
DESOTO CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOL
1,468 students · 06–08
100% FRL
Mid
SOUTHAVEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
1,456 students · 06–08
100% FRL
High
HERNANDO HIGH SCHOOL
1,419 students · 09–12
100% FRL
High
HORN LAKE HIGH
1,361 students · 09–12
● 41 opp100% FRL
High
LEWISBURG HIGH SCHOOL
1,275 students · 09–12
● 40 opp100% FRL
Mid
HERNANDO MIDDLE SCHOOL
1,150 students · 06–08
100% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
6530 S. BLOCKER STREET, OLIVE BRANCH, MS 38654
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.