Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 6 schools in district

POPE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

1110 Main Street, Pope, MS 38658SOUTH PANOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–08Non-Charter
531
Students
Total enrolled
$11,628
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 19% vs nat'l
13.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 15% vs nat'l
35/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 30% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 531 students in grades PK–08 in Pope, Mississippi.
19% below average funding
District spends $11,628 per pupil, 19% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 35th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

POPE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is a large elementary in Pope, Mississippi, serving grades PK–08 with 531 students. The district invests $11,628 per student — 19% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 99% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 35/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at POPE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

531
Total Students
13.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
99%
Free Lunch
41
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution265 male · 266 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility99%
National avg 52% · 528 students
Student Composition
82%
18%
White82%
Black18%
Multiracial1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 280405000765

Academic Outcomes at POPE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
35
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 35th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 10th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 38658

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,628Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,628
State avg
$14,449
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,116
Student Support$2,209
Administration$1,395
Operations$1,744
Other$1,163
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,628 spent per student, an estimated $5,151 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
49%
26%
State government
48.5%
Local (property tax)
26.4%
Federal programs
25.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 13.0:1 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 — $11,628/student, 19% less than the national average
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (35/100) — national median is 50
  • 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.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
BATESVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLBATESVILLE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLBATESVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL
↓
Middle
BATESVILLE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
↓
High School
SOUTH PANOLA HIGH SCHOOL
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 08
Location—
CountyPanola County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictSOUTH PANOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Phone: (662)563-3732
NCES ID: 280405000765
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Pope seeking a public elementary 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 SOUTH PANOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT
High
SOUTH PANOLA HIGH SCHOOL
1,174 students · 09–12
100% FRL
Mid
BATESVILLE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
825 students · 06–08
100% FRL
Elem
BATESVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
785 students · PK–01
100% FRL
Elem
BATESVILLE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
517 students · 02–03
99% FRL
Elem
BATESVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL
481 students · 04–05
99% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1110 Main Street, Pope, MS 38658
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.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
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.