Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 10 schools in district

WEST LOWNDES HIGH SCHOOL

644 SOUTH FRONTAGE ROAD, COLUMBUS, MS 39701LOWNDES CO SCHOOL DIST →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 07–12Non-Charter
246
Students
Total enrolled
85%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$11,562
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 19% vs nat'l
8.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 43% vs nat'l
33/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 34% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 246 students in grades 07–12 in COLUMBUS, Mississippi.
19% below average funding
District spends $11,562 per pupil, 19% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 33th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

WEST LOWNDES HIGH SCHOOL is a mid-sized high in COLUMBUS, Mississippi, serving grades 07–12 with 246 students. The district invests $11,562 per student — 19% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 8.8:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 33/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at WEST LOWNDES HIGH SCHOOL

246
Total Students
8.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
100%
Free Lunch
28
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (07–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution112 male · 134 female
46%
54%
Male 46%Female 54%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility100%
National avg 52% · 246 students
Student Composition
97%
White3%
Black97%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 280273000531

Academic Outcomes at WEST LOWNDES HIGH SCHOOL

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
GE80
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
85%
State avg
84%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
33
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 33th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 6th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 39701

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,562Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,562
State avg
$14,449
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,087
Student Support$2,197
Administration$1,387
Operations$1,734
Other$1,156
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,562 spent per student, an estimated $5,122 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
39%
44%
State government
39.5%
Local (property tax)
44.4%
Federal programs
16.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 85% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • 8.8:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $11,562/student, 19% less than the national average
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (33/100) — national median is 50
  • 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
NEW HOPE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLCALEDONIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLWEST LOWNDES ELEMENTARY
↓
Middle
NEW HOPE MIDDLE SCHOOLCALEDONIA MIDDLE SCHOOL
↓
High School
NEW HOPE HIGH SCHOOLCALEDONIA HIGH SCHOOLLOWNDES CO VOC COMPLEX
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades07 – 12
Location—
CountyLowndes County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictLOWNDES CO SCHOOL DIST →
Phone: (662)244-5070
NCES ID: 280273000531
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in COLUMBUS seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in LOWNDES CO SCHOOL DIST
Elem
NEW HOPE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
1,151 students · PK–05
● 37 opp100% FRL
Elem
CALEDONIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
1,060 students · PK–05
100% FRL
High
NEW HOPE HIGH SCHOOL
807 students · 09–12
● 37 opp100% FRL
High
CALEDONIA HIGH SCHOOL
652 students · 09–12
100% FRL
Mid
NEW HOPE MIDDLE SCHOOL
613 students · 06–08
● 37 opp100% FRL
Mid
CALEDONIA MIDDLE SCHOOL
498 students · 06–08
99% FRL
Elem
WEST LOWNDES ELEMENTARY
234 students · PK–06
● 33 opp100% FRL
Other
LOWNDES COUNTY ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL
0 students · PK–12
● 37 opp
District School Rankings
Location
644 SOUTH FRONTAGE ROAD, COLUMBUS, MS 39701
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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.