Popps Ferry Elementary School

Q: Is Popps Ferry Elementary School a good school?

Popps Ferry Elementary School ranks 217 th of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Popps Ferry Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades K-4 in the Biloxi Public School District, with 552 students from diverse backgrounds. While the school was once a high-performing institution, earning a 5-star rating, its performance has declined in recent years, with the school now ranking in the middle of Mississippi's elementary schools and earning a 3-star rating.

Popps Ferry's challenges are multifaceted. The school has an extremely high percentage of students (over 99%) who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a very low-income student population. Despite having smaller class sizes than many nearby schools, such as North Bay Elementary and Bayou View Elementary, which are also in the Biloxi district and have significantly higher test scores and rankings, Popps Ferry's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math have declined and are now below the district and state averages. Additionally, the school's racial composition has shifted, with the percentage of African American students increasing from 35.38% to 42.57% in the past year.

The data suggests that Popps Ferry Elementary School is facing significant challenges in maintaining its academic excellence, and the high poverty rates, declining test scores, and changing student demographics may require a closer examination of the school's resources, instructional practices, and support systems to ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed. The school's performance is in stark contrast to nearby high-performing schools, raising questions about equity and the need for targeted interventions to address the unique needs of Popps Ferry's student population.

Detail:

Public K-4

364 Nelson Road
Biloxi, MS 39531

(228) 436-5135

District: Biloxi Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
217^th of 390 Mississippi Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,568

Students who attend Popps Ferry Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Biloxi Junior High
High:	Biloxi High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.8

Number of students: 552

Racial breakdown:

African American:

42.6%

White:

33.2%

Hispanic:

16.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.5%

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Compare Popps Ferry Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Popps Ferry Elementary School ranks worse than 55.6% of elementary schools in Mississippi. It also ranks last among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Biloxi Public School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 45.43. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Popps Ferry Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (42.6%), White (33.2%), Hispanic (16.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Popps Ferry Elementary School is 11.8. 2 elementary schools in the Biloxi Public School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Popps Ferry Elementary School employs 46.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Popps Ferry Elementary School is $11,568. 3 elementary schools in the Biloxi Public School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Popps Ferry Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Biloxi Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Biloxi Public School District 20^th of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Popps Ferry Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MS State Percentile
2008	73.51	96^th	394	75.6%
2009	71.50	97^th	392	75.3%
2010	62.87	149^th	403	63.0%
2011	61.89	163^rd	418	61.0%
2012	70.36	117^th	414	71.7%
2013	78.81	77^th	408	81.1%
2014	66.01	129^th	394	67.3%
2015	71.92	94^th	402	76.6%
2016	71.75	98^th	394	75.1%
2017	81.94	52^nd	406	87.2%
2018	86.63	36^th	404	91.1%
2019	86.87	38^th	397	90.4%
2021	86.53	36^th	381	90.6%
2022	84.22	47^th	382	87.7%
2023	52.09	171^st	377	54.6%
2024	45.43	217^th	390	44.4%

See the entire list of Mississippi Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Mississippi Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Popps Ferry Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1990	490	179	9	4	5	n/a	n/a	687
1991	487	195	17	5	3	n/a	n/a	707
1992	477	174	11	5	3	n/a	n/a	670
1993	475	192	8	7	6	n/a	n/a	688
1994	475	227	16	3	0	n/a	n/a	721
1995	494	268	26	4	0	n/a	n/a	792
1996	494	268	26	4	0	n/a	n/a	792
1997	538	269	20	16	4	n/a	n/a	847
1998	583	262	26	23	3	n/a	n/a	897
1999	555	257	27	21	3	n/a	n/a	863
2000	582	269	17	18	1	n/a	n/a	887
2001	350	247	13	16	4	n/a	n/a	630
2002	322	268	12	32	1	n/a	n/a	635
2003	322	268	12	32	1	n/a	n/a	635
2004	347	297	18	23	0	n/a	n/a	685
2005	318	340	16	30	0	n/a	n/a	704
2006	269	236	12	31	0	n/a	n/a	548
2007	261	212	24	35	0	n/a	n/a	532
2008	279	248	23	47	0	n/a	n/a	597
2009	274	211	20	49	0	0	0	554
2010	217	189	9	45	0	1	0	461
2011	279	260	9	55	0	1	0	604
2012	263	213	7	58	1	1	1	544
2013	284	218	13	57	2	4	2	580
2014	326	240	13	68	4	4	0	655
2015	322	259	15	88	0	3	39	726
2016	336	289	17	72	11	2	29	756
2017	345	278	15	111	1	2	60	812
2018	275	228	12	85	0	1	42	643
2019	231	189	16	87	0	0	56	579
2020	225	206	14	93	0	3	53	594
2021	184	197	9	82	0	2	52	526
2022	187	184	11	76	1	2	59	520
2023	183	235	13	91	0	2	28	552

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Popps Ferry Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	687	30.2	22.7	n/a
1991	707	29.8	23.7	n/a
1992	670	28.5	23.5	49.6
1993	688	29.0	23.7	49.9
1994	721	31.6	22.8	49.7
1995	792	38.2	20.7	48.1
1996	792	38.2	20.7	48.1
1997	847	40.6	20.9	51.8
1998	897	45.2	19.8	52
1999	863	46.1	18.7	70.2
2000	887	52.2	17.0	65.3
2001	630	36.9	17.1	62.9
2002	635	43.5	14.6	65.2
2003	635	43.5	14.6	65.2
2004	685	42.3	16.2	63.9
2005	704	43.7	16.1	64.9
2006	548	41.4	13.2	79
2007	532	37.9	14.0	69.9
2008	597	42.4	14.1	70.4
2009	554	40.9	13.5	69.9
2010	461	35.0	13.1	73.3
2011	604	42.2	14.3	74.5
2012	544	38.7	14.0	77.6
2013	580	35.5	16.3	79.1
2014	655	39.8	16.4	75.6
2015	726	41.0	17.7	76
2016	756	42.0	18.0	76.5
2017	812	45.7	17.7	71.4
2018	643	39.1	16.4	70.5
2019	579	36.1	16.0	76.9
2020	594	32.3	18.3	71.9
2021	526	34.0	15.4	99.4
2022	520	34.3	15.1	99.4
2023	552	46.4	11.8	99.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Popps Ferry Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	687	30.2	22.7	n/a
1991	707	29.8	23.7	n/a
1992	670	28.5	23.5	49.6
1993	688	29.0	23.7	49.9
1994	721	31.6	22.8	49.7
1995	792	38.2	20.7	48.1
1996	792	38.2	20.7	48.1
1997	847	40.6	20.9	51.8
1998	897	45.2	19.8	52
1999	863	46.1	18.7	70.2
2000	887	52.2	17.0	65.3
2001	630	36.9	17.1	62.9
2002	635	43.5	14.6	65.2
2003	635	43.5	14.6	65.2
2004	685	42.3	16.2	63.9
2005	704	43.7	16.1	64.9
2006	548	41.4	13.2	79
2007	532	37.9	14.0	69.9
2008	597	42.4	14.1	70.4
2009	554	40.9	13.5	69.9
2010	461	35.0	13.1	73.3
2011	604	42.2	14.3	74.5
2012	544	38.7	14.0	77.6
2013	580	35.5	16.3	79.1
2014	655	39.8	16.4	75.6
2015	726	41.0	17.7	76
2016	756	42.0	18.0	76.5
2017	812	45.7	17.7	71.4
2018	643	39.1	16.4	70.5
2019	579	36.1	16.0	76.9
2020	594	32.3	18.3	71.9
2021	526	34.0	15.4	99.4
2022	520	34.3	15.1	99.4
2023	552	46.4	11.8	99.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Popps Ferry Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$8,839
2018	$9,320
2019	$9,314
2020	$10,412
2021	$11,327
2022	$11,568

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Popps Ferry Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 38^th of 397 Elementary schools	Ranks 171^st of 377 Elementary schools	35.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Popps Ferry Elementary School)	67.2	44.3	22.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Biloxi Public School District)	59.1	57.5	1.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.3	51.6	3.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Popps Ferry Elementary School)	77.9	63.4	14.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Biloxi Public School District)	69.1	70.3	1.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	51.4	54.8	3.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Popps Ferry Elementary School)	55	48.1	6.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Biloxi Public School District)	62.6	60.9	1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.5	53.4	4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Popps Ferry Elementary School)	75	50	25%
4th Grade Mathematics (Biloxi Public School District)	67.8	65.1	2.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	48.8	56.7	7.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	579	552	4.7%
African American	189	235	24.3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	16	13	18.8%
Hispanic	87	91	4.6%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	231	183	20.8%
Two or More Races	56	28	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	76.9%	99.5%	22.6%

Schools Near Popps Ferry Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MAAP English Language Arts (2024)				MAAP Mathematics (2024)				MAAP Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MAAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MAAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MAAP Science 5th Grade	Total
Popps Ferry Elementary School	Public	K-4	364 Nelson Road	Biloxi	39531	Harrison County	Biloxi Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 436-5135	552	46	11.8	99.5%	183 (33.2%)	235 (42.6%)	91 (16.5%)	13 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	28 (5.1%)	45.4	217^th of 390 public elementary schools	44.4%		52.1	171^st of 377 public elementary schools	54.6%	46	47.4	52.3			58.1	42.6				$11,568
Back Bay Elementary School	Public	K-4	340 St. Mary Blvd.	Biloxi	39531	Harrison County	Biloxi Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 436-5110	535	45	11.9	99.4%	198 (37.0%)	178 (33.3%)	73 (13.6%)	10 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	74 (13.8%)	68	117^th of 390 public elementary schools	70.0%		76	74^th of 377 public elementary schools	80.4%	43	65.7	54.6			63.9	63.6				$12,312
Anniston Avenue Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2314 Jones Street	Gulfport	39507	Harrison County	Gulfport School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 896-6309	535	41	12.9	100.0%	196 (36.6%)	202 (37.8%)	103 (19.3%)	7 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (4.9%)	70.8	107^th of 390 public elementary schools	72.6%		83.2	47^th of 377 public elementary schools	87.5%	60	67.5	56.4	63.7		60.0	58.4	58.5		85.7	$10,811
North Bay Elementary School	Public	K-4	1825 Popps Ferry Road	Biloxi	39532	Harrison County	Biloxi Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 435-6166	754	56	13.4	99.6%	409 (54.2%)	148 (19.6%)	83 (11.0%)	30 (4.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	82 (10.9%)	87.6	32^nd of 390 public elementary schools	91.8%		85.1	38^th of 377 public elementary schools	89.9%	6	72.2	75.8			74.4	80.0				$10,936
Diberville Elementary	Public	K-3	4540 Brodie Road	Diberville	39540	Harrison County	Harrison County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 392-2803	385	25	15.3	99.2%	134 (34.8%)	114 (29.6%)	58 (15.1%)	25 (6.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (13.5%)								(n/a)	64.0				59.5					$11,724
Pass Road Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	37 Pass Road	Gulfport	39507	Harrison County	Gulfport School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 865-4659	398	28	14.1	100.0%	99 (24.9%)	219 (55.0%)	49 (12.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.3%)	66.8	128^th of 390 public elementary schools	67.2%		56.6	158^th of 377 public elementary schools	58.1%	30	60.0	64.2	66.6		60.0	50.0	52.4		77.7	$11,659
Bayou View Elementary School	Public	K-5	4898 Washington Avenue	Gulfport	39507	Harrison County	Gulfport School District	No	No	No	No	(228) 865-4625	682	45	15.0	100.0%	509 (74.6%)	104 (15.2%)	31 (4.5%)	21 (3.1%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.1%)	97.2	2^nd of 390 public elementary schools	99.5%		97.6	1^st of 377 public elementary schools	99.7%	1	98.0	92.4	85.4		93.0	92.4	83.1		94.6	$9,617
Woolmarket Elementary School	Public	K-6	12513 John Lee Road	Biloxi	39532	Harrison County	Harrison County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 392-5640	495	30	16.3	99.4%	230 (46.5%)	72 (14.5%)	127 (25.7%)	15 (3.0%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	48 (9.7%)	75.6	84^th of 390 public elementary schools	78.5%		80.3	56^th of 377 public elementary schools	85.1%	28	57.5	68.6	66.2	53.6	45.5	73.9	72.0	69.5	83.8	$10,434
Gorenflo Elementary School	Public	1-4	771 Elder Street	Biloxi	39530	Harrison County	Biloxi Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 436-5145	350	30	11.6	99.1%	36 (10.3%)	179 (51.1%)	107 (30.6%)	10 (2.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.9%)	66.7	129^th of 390 public elementary schools	66.9%		68.7	113^th of 377 public elementary schools	70.0%	16	50.7	67.9			53.2	72.9				$14,391
Nichols Elementary School	Public	PK-K	590 Division Street	Biloxi	39530	Harrison County	Biloxi Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 374-7250	212	21	9.9	98.6%	39 (18.4%)	104 (49.1%)	42 (19.8%)	8 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (9.0%)								(n/a)										$16,054

Frequently Asked Questions about Popps Ferry Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Popps Ferry Elementary School?

Students at Popps Ferry Elementary School are 43% African American, 33% White, 16% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

How many students attend Popps Ferry Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 552 students attended Popps Ferry Elementary School.

What district is Popps Ferry Elementary School in?

Biloxi Public School District

Is Popps Ferry Elementary School a good school?

Popps Ferry Elementary School ranks 217^th of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Popps Ferry Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Popps Ferry Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Biloxi Junior High
High : Biloxi High School

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Mississippi Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.