Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 9 schools in district

MENDENHALL HIGH SCHOOL

207 Circle Drive, Mendenhall, MS 39114SIMPSON CO SCHOOL DIST
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0912Non-Charter
519
Students
Total enrolled
92%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
6% vs nat'l
$12,321
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
14% vs nat'l
15.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
Mid-sized public school
Serves 519 students in grades 09–12 in Mendenhall, Mississippi.
14% below average funding
District spends $12,321 per pupil, 14% less than the national average of $14,347.
15.8 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

MENDENHALL HIGH SCHOOL is a large high in Mendenhall, Mississippi, serving grades 09–12 with 519 students. The district invests $12,321 per student — 14% below the national average of $14,347, with a 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 99% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. The school's 92% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at MENDENHALL HIGH SCHOOL

519
Total Students
15.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
99%
Free Lunch
33
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (0912) are served by this school
Gender Distribution266 male · 253 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility99%
National avg 52% · 516 students
Student Composition
45%
52%
White45%
Hispanic / Latino1%
Black52%
Multiracial1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 280399001086

Academic Outcomes at MENDENHALL HIGH SCHOOL

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
90-94
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
92%
State avg
84%
National avg
87%

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,321Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,321
State avg
$14,449
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,421
Student Support$2,341
Administration$1,478
Operations$1,848
Other$1,232
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,321 spent per student, an estimated $5,458 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
46%
28%
State government
46.1%
Local (property tax)
27.8%
Federal programs
26.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 92% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 99% 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.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location
CountySimpson County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (601)847-2411
NCES ID: 280399001086
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Mendenhall seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing strong graduation outcomes and academic completion. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

Location
207 Circle Drive, Mendenhall, MS 39114
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.