A−
Lauderdale County School District
Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 2 towns
Serves Meridian and Marion.
Students
5,940
Schools
11
Spent per student
$11,068
MS $12,392
Students per teacher
13:1
Free or reduced lunch
57%
Debt
$15.4M
fiscal 2024
What stands out about Lauderdale County School District
- School Grade A−: better than 76% of Mississippi districts
- Reading / language arts 6 pts above the state
- Spends 11% less per student than the MS average
- 13 students per teacher
- Debt of $15.4M, about $2,586 per student
Where would my kid go?
The school path for Meridian.
PK–56 elementary schoolsThis district
6–83 middle schoolsThis district
9–122 high schoolsMeridian Public School District
Test scores vs. MS
2020–21Math proficiency37%
State average 35.3%
Reading / language arts41%
State average 34.8%
Graduation rate (4-year)91%
State average 87.8%
Where the money goes
fiscal 2024$11,068 per student · 11% below MS
Spending
Classroom instruction 62%Support & administration 34%Other 4%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 29%State 56%Federal 15%
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.
Enrollment over time
5,680’20
5,873’21
5,910’22
5,951’23
5,940’24
Up 4.6% since 2020.
Students
White 59%Black 32%Two or more races 5%Hispanic 4%Asian <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%
Schools in the district
11 public schools.
West Lauderdale Elementary School
A−761 students17:1
Northeast Elementary School
B−730 students13:1
Southeast Elementary School
B−562 students17:1
Clarkdale Elementary School
A−527 students15:1
West Lauderdale Middle School
A537 students14:1
Northeast Middle School
B−520 students12:1
Southeast Middle School
B371 students12:1
Northeast High School
C+608 students12:1
West Lauderdale High School
A−535 students13:1
Clarkdale High School
A−422 students11:1
Southeast Lauderdale High School
C+367 students11:1
Towns served
District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES directory and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Neighbor ratings are opinions.