Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 11 schools in district

MAGNOLIA MIDDLE SCHOOL

1350 24th Street, Meridian, MS 39305MERIDIAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 06–08Non-Charter
428
Students
Total enrolled
$13,011
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 9% vs nat'l
12.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 18% vs nat'l
41/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 19% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 428 students in grades 06–08 in Meridian, Mississippi.
9% below average funding
District spends $13,011 per pupil, 9% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 41th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

MAGNOLIA MIDDLE SCHOOL is a mid-sized middle in Meridian, Mississippi, serving grades 06–08 with 428 students. The district invests $13,011 per student — 9% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.6:1 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.

Student Body & Demographics at MAGNOLIA MIDDLE SCHOOL

428
Total Students
12.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
100%
Free Lunch
34
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 Distribution228 male · 200 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility100%
National avg 52% · 428 students
Student Composition
92%
White2%
Hispanic / Latino4%
Black92%
Multiracial1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 280291000564

Academic Outcomes at MAGNOLIA MIDDLE SCHOOL

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
41
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 41th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 32th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 39305

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,011Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,011
State avg
$14,449
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,725
Student Support$2,472
Administration$1,561
Operations$1,952
Other$1,301
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,011 spent per student, an estimated $5,764 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
39%
35%
State government
38.9%
Local (property tax)
34.9%
Federal programs
26.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 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
WEST HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLT J HARRIS ELEMENTARYPOPLAR SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPARKVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
+2 more
↓
Middle
NORTHWEST JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
↓
High School
MERIDIAN HIGH SCHOOLROSS COLLINS VOC CENTER
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location—
CountyLauderdale County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictMERIDIAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS →
Phone: (601)484-4064
NCES ID: 280291000564
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Meridian seeking a public middle 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 MERIDIAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
High
MERIDIAN HIGH SCHOOL
1,301 students · 09–12
● 41 opp100% FRL
Mid
NORTHWEST JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
566 students · 06–08
● 33 opp100% FRL
Elem
WEST HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
478 students · PK–05
● 33 opp100% FRL
Elem
T J HARRIS ELEMENTARY
434 students · PK–05
● 33 opp100% FRL
Elem
POPLAR SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
412 students · PK–05
● 41 opp100% FRL
Elem
PARKVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
408 students · PK–05
● 41 opp100% FRL
Elem
OAKLAND HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
328 students · PK–05
● 33 opp100% FRL
Elem
CRESTWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
259 students · PK–05
● 39 opp100% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1350 24th Street, Meridian, MS 39305
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.