Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 13 schools in district

GENTRY HIGH SCHOOL

801 B.B. King, Indianola, MS 38751SUNFLOWER CTY CONS SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 10–12Non-Charter
488
Students
Total enrolled
77%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 11% vs nat'l
$14,264
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
14.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
33/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 34% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 488 students in grades 10–12 in Indianola, Mississippi.
Near-average funding
District spends $14,264 per pupil — close to 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

GENTRY HIGH SCHOOL is a mid-sized high in Indianola, Mississippi, serving grades 10–12 with 488 students. The district invests $14,264 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 14.7:1 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. 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 GENTRY HIGH SCHOOL

488
Total Students
14.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
100%
Free Lunch
33
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (10–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution257 male · 231 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility100%
National avg 52% · 488 students
Student Composition
97%
White1%
Hispanic / Latino2%
Black97%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 280018701425

Academic Outcomes at GENTRY HIGH SCHOOL

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
75-79
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
77%
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 5th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 38751

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$14,264Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$14,264
State avg
$14,449
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,276
Student Support$2,710
Administration$1,712
Operations$2,140
Other$1,426
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $14,264 spent per student, an estimated $6,319 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
41%
30%
State government
40.8%
Local (property tax)
30.2%
Federal programs
29.0%
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
  • 77% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
  • 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
LOCKARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLRULEVILLE CENTRAL ELEM SCHOOLMOORHEAD CENTRAL SCHOOLA W JAMES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
+1 more
↓
Middle
ROBERT L MERRITT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLCARVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLRULEVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOLDREW HUNTER MIDDLE SCHOOL
↓
High School
THOMAS E. EDWARDS SR. HIGH SCHOOLINDIANOLA CAREER & TECH CENTER
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades10 – 12
Location—
CountySunflower County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictSUNFLOWER CTY CONS SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Phone: (662)884-1240
NCES ID: 280018701425
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Indianola seeking a public high 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 SUNFLOWER CTY CONS SCHOOL DISTRICT
Mid
ROBERT L MERRITT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
410 students · 07–09
● 33 opp100% FRL
Elem
LOCKARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
371 students · KG–03
● 33 opp100% FRL
High
THOMAS E. EDWARDS SR. HIGH SCHOOL
336 students · 09–12
● 32 opp100% FRL
Mid
CARVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
301 students · 04–06
● 33 opp100% FRL
Elem
RULEVILLE CENTRAL ELEM SCHOOL
269 students · KG–05
● 32 opp100% FRL
Elem
MOORHEAD CENTRAL SCHOOL
215 students · KG–08
● 27 opp100% FRL
Elem
A W JAMES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
211 students · PK–05
● 34 opp100% FRL
Mid
RULEVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL
150 students · 06–08
● 32 opp100% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
801 B.B. King, Indianola, MS 38751
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.