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C−

Laurel School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12

Serves Laurel.

Laurel’s School Grade B better than 56% of Mississippi school districts

Students
2,620
Schools
6
Spent per student
$12,464
MS $12,392
Students per teacher
16:1
Free or reduced lunch
100%
Debt
$17.1M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Laurel School District

  • Its letter, C−: results better than 20% of Mississippi districts
  • Math proficiency 17 pts below the state
  • Reading proficiency 15 pts below the state
  • Graduation rate 7 pts below the state
  • 16 students per teacher
  • Enrollment up 5.6% since 2020–21
  • Debt of $17.1M, about $6,536 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

C−: better than 20% of the 150 Mississippi school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math well below the state, 2021–22
C
GraduationFour-year graduation well below the state, class of 2023
D
The town it serves, and its School Grade
BLaurel 17,662

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Laurel. Grade by grade →

PK–62 schoolsThis district
7–8Laurel Middle SchoolThis district
9–12Laurel High SchoolThis district

Test scores vs. MS

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency30%
State average 47% · 1,459 students tested
Reading / language arts27%
State average 41.7% · 1,437 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)80–84%
State average 89.4% · 186 in the class

100% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$12,464 per student · 1% above MS
Spending
Classroom instruction 50%Support & administration 42%Other 8%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 32%State 31%Federal 37%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
2,481’20
2,441’21
2,367’22
2,648’23
2,620’24

Up 5.6% since 2020–21.

Students
Black 81%Hispanic 14%Two or more races 3%White 2%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Asian <1%

Schools in the district

6 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Mississippi’s other public schools.

Oak Park Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–1 · Laurel
D
405 students19:1
Laurel Magnet School Of The Arts
Elementary · Grades PK–6 · Laurel
A+
323 students16:1
Nora Davis Elementary
Elementary · Grades 2–4 · Laurel
519 students15:1
Laurel Upper Elementary
Middle · Grades 5–6 · Laurel
D
253 students14:1
Laurel Middle School
Middle · Grades 7–8 · Laurel
C−
388 students17:1
Laurel High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Laurel
D
732 students17:1

Left off: 2 schools reporting no students for 2024–25.

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Jones County School DistrictEllisville
$10,265per student

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Mississippi.