Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 42 schools in district

HOPE SULLIVAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

7985 SOUTHAVEN CIRCLE W, SOUTHAVEN, MS 38671DESOTO CO SCHOOL DIST
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG02Non-Charter
548
Students
Total enrolled
$9,536
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
34% vs nat'l
11.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
26% vs nat'l
Mid-sized public school
Serves 548 students in grades KG–02 in SOUTHAVEN, Mississippi.
34% below average funding
District spends $9,536 per pupil, 34% less than the national average of $14,347.
11.4 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is well below the national average — smaller classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

HOPE SULLIVAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is a large elementary in SOUTHAVEN, Mississippi, serving grades KG–02 with 548 students. The district invests $9,536 per student — 34% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 11.4:1 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.

Student Body & Demographics at HOPE SULLIVAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

548
Total Students
11.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
99%
Free Lunch
48
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG02) are served by this school
Gender Distribution284 male · 264 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility99%
National avg 52% · 545 students
Student Composition
23%
12%
53%
13%
White23%
Hispanic / Latino12%
Black53%
Multiracial13%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 280132000197

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$9,536Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$9,536
State avg
$14,449
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$4,196
Student Support$1,812
Administration$1,144
Operations$1,430
Other$954
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $9,536 spent per student, an estimated $4,224 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
52%
34%
State government
51.9%
Local (property tax)
33.8%
Federal programs
14.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 11.4:1 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 — $9,536/student, 34% less than the national average
  • 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.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 02
Location
CountyDeSoto County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (662)393-2919
NCES ID: 280132000197
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in SOUTHAVEN 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.

Location
7985 SOUTHAVEN CIRCLE W, SOUTHAVEN, MS 38671
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.