Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 11 schools in district

PICAYUNE MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL

800 Fifth Avenue, Picayune, MS 39466PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0912Non-Charter
941
Students
Total enrolled
82%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
5% vs nat'l
$12,313
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
14% vs nat'l
18.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
22% vs nat'l
Large public school
Serves 941 students in grades 09–12 in Picayune, Mississippi.
14% below average funding
District spends $12,313 per pupil, 14% less than the national average of $14,347.
18.8 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

PICAYUNE MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL is a large high in Picayune, Mississippi, serving grades 09–12 with 941 students. The district invests $12,313 per student — 14% below the national average of $14,347, with a 18.8:1 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.

Student Body & Demographics at PICAYUNE MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL

941
Total Students
18.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
100%
Free Lunch
50
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (0912) are served by this school
Gender Distribution448 male · 493 female
48%
52%
Male 48%Female 52%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility100%
National avg 52% · 941 students
Student Composition
58%
33%
Asian1%
White58%
Hispanic / Latino3%
Black33%
Multiracial6%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 280363000695

Academic Outcomes at PICAYUNE MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
80-84
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
82%
State avg
84%
National avg
87%

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,313Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,313
State avg
$14,449
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,418
Student Support$2,339
Administration$1,478
Operations$1,847
Other$1,231
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,313 spent per student, an estimated $5,455 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
39%
27%
State government
38.8%
Local (property tax)
27.2%
Federal programs
34.0%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 82% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • 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.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location
CountyPearl River County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (601)798-1380
NCES ID: 280363000695
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Picayune 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.

Location
800 Fifth Avenue, Picayune, MS 39466
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.