Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 8 schools in district

WAYNE CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

1022 Azalea Drive, Waynesboro, MS 39367WAYNE CO SCHOOL DIST →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–08Non-Charter
443
Students
Total enrolled
$13,647
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
11.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 23% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 443 students in grades KG–08 in Waynesboro, Mississippi.
Near-average funding
District spends $13,647 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
11.8 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is well below the national average — smaller classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

WAYNE CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is a mid-sized elementary in Waynesboro, Mississippi, serving grades KG–08 with 443 students. The district invests $13,647 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 11.8:1 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.

Student Body & Demographics at WAYNE CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

443
Total Students
11.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
100%
Free Lunch
37
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution230 male · 213 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility100%
National avg 52% · 443 students
Student Composition
17%
80%
White17%
Hispanic / Latino2%
Black80%
Multiracial1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 280453000849

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,647Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,647
State avg
$14,449
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,005
Student Support$2,593
Administration$1,638
Operations$2,047
Other$1,365
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,647 spent per student, an estimated $6,046 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
39%
25%
State government
39.2%
Local (property tax)
24.8%
Federal programs
36.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 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
WAYNESBORO RIVERVIEW ELE SCHOOLCLARA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLBUCKATUNNA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLBEAT FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
↓
High School
WAYNE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLWAYNE COUNTY ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLWAYNE CO CAREER & TECHNICAL
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 08
Location—
CountyWayne County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictWAYNE CO SCHOOL DIST →
Phone: (601)735-2205
NCES ID: 280453000849
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Waynesboro 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 WAYNE CO SCHOOL DIST
High
WAYNE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
840 students · 09–12
100% FRL
Elem
WAYNESBORO RIVERVIEW ELE SCHOOL
442 students · KG–08
100% FRL
Elem
CLARA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
427 students · KG–08
100% FRL
Elem
BUCKATUNNA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
377 students · KG–08
100% FRL
Elem
BEAT FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
371 students · KG–08
100% FRL
High
WAYNE COUNTY ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL
0 students · 05–12
High
WAYNE CO CAREER & TECHNICAL
0 students · 09–12
District School Rankings
Location
1022 Azalea Drive, Waynesboro, MS 39367
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.