D.M. Smith Elementary

Summary:

D.M. Smith Elementary is a public elementary school in Cleveland, Mississippi, serving grades 3-6 with a student population of 289, predominantly African American and from low-income families.

D.M. Smith Elementary consistently performs well below state and district averages on standardized tests, with proficiency rates ranging from 12% to 40.5% across different grade levels and subject areas, compared to state averages of 39.7% to 57.7%. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of Mississippi elementary schools and has received a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating it is one of the lowest-performing schools in the state. In contrast, nearby schools in the Cleveland School District, such as Hayes Cooper Center For Math School Tec, Parks Elementary School, and Bell Elementary School, generally perform much better on academic measures.

The racial composition of D.M. Smith Elementary, with over 97% of students identifying as African American, is significantly different from the nearby schools, which have more diverse student bodies. Additionally, the school's spending per student ($6,481 in 2018-2019) is lower than the nearby schools, which range from $7,986 to $10,333 per student. However, D.M. Smith Elementary has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 11.8 to 15 in recent years, which is comparable to or better than the nearby schools.

Detail:

Public 3-6

715 Martin Luther King Dr
Cleveland, MS 38732

(662) 843-4355

District: Cleveland School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
360^th of 390 Mississippi Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,887

Student/teacher ratio: 12.3

Number of students: 257

Racial breakdown:

African American:

96.9%

Two or more races:

1.9%

Asian:

0.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details D.M. Smith Elementary ranks worse than 92.3% of elementary schools in Mississippi. It also ranks last among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Cleveland School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.8. (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 Racial makeup is: African American (96.9%), two or more races (1.9%), Asian (0.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Cleveland School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at D.M. Smith Elementary is 12.3, which is the 3^rd best among 5 elementary schools in the Cleveland School District. (See more...)

Compare D.M. Smith Elementary employs 20.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at D.M. Smith Elementary is $11,887, which is the 2^nd highest among 5 elementary schools in the Cleveland School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

D.M. Smith Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Cleveland School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Cleveland School District 92^nd of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for D.M. Smith Elementary

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MS State Percentile
2019	8.54	386^th	397	2.8%
2021	10.67	359^th	381	5.8%
2022	9.91	362^nd	382	5.2%
2023	9.62	360^th	377	4.5%
2024	11.80	360^th	390	7.7%

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 D.M. Smith Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Two or More Races	Total
2018	2	359	0	0	361
2019	1	391	0	6	398
2020	3	361	0	9	373
2021	3	335	0	7	345
2022	2	300	0	5	307
2023	5	281	0	3	289
2024	1	249	2	5	257

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 D.M. Smith Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	361	20.7	17.4	100
2019	398	19.8	20.0	100
2020	373	21.6	17.2	100
2021	345	22.8	15.0	100
2022	307	23.9	12.8	100
2023	289	24.2	11.8	100
2024	257	20.8	12.3	100

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 D.M. Smith Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	361	20.7	17.4	100
2019	398	19.8	20.0	100
2020	373	21.6	17.2	100
2021	345	22.8	15.0	100
2022	307	23.9	12.8	100
2023	289	24.2	11.8	100
2024	257	20.8	12.3	100

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 D.M. Smith Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$7,245
2018	$6,481
2019	$7,122
2020	$9,874
2021	$10,671
2022	$11,887

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on D.M. Smith Elementary

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 386^th of 397 Elementary schools	Ranks 360^th of 377 Elementary schools	1.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (D.M. Smith Elementary)	13.1	19.1	6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Cleveland School District)	31.9	34.5	2.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.3	51.6	3.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (D.M. Smith Elementary)	8.1	33.9	25.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Cleveland School District)	26.9	40.6	13.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	51.4	54.8	3.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (D.M. Smith Elementary)	11.1	28.6	17.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Cleveland School District)	26.3	45.6	19.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.5	53.4	4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (D.M. Smith Elementary)	16.1	23.8	7.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Cleveland School District)	28.1	43.8	15.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	48.8	56.7	7.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (D.M. Smith Elementary)	14.1	18.9	4.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Cleveland School District)	33.6	38.3	4.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	43	51.9	8.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (D.M. Smith Elementary)	7.1	3.5	3.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Cleveland School District)	23	23.4	0.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	38.9	44.3	5.4%
5th Grade Science (D.M. Smith Elementary)	27.3	28.3	1%
5th Grade Science (Cleveland School District)	35.9	38.3	2.4%
5th Grade Science (Mississippi)	55.9	64.3	8.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (D.M. Smith Elementary)	9	16.7	7.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Cleveland School District)	24.5	30.1	5.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	33.6	40.3	6.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (D.M. Smith Elementary)	32.6	28.8	3.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Cleveland School District)	47.4	35	12.4%
6th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	47.6	45.5	2.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	398	289	27.4%
African American	391	281	28.1%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	0	0
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	1	5	400%
Two or More Races	6	3	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near D.M. Smith Elementary

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
D.M. Smith Elementary	Public	3-6	715 Martin Luther King Dr	Cleveland	38732	Bolivar County	Cleveland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 843-4355	257	21	12.3	100.0%	1 (0.4%)	249 (96.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.9%)	11.8	360^th of 390 public elementary schools	7.7%		9.6	360^th of 377 public elementary schools	4.5%		20.2	28.6	18.1	12.0	27.5	40.5	29.5	26.6	50.0	$11,887
Nailor Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	600 Cross Street	Cleveland	38732	Bolivar County	Cleveland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 843-4528	251	21	11.8	100.0%	2 (0.8%)	239 (95.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.0%)								(n/a)										$11,646
Pearman Elementary School	Public	1-6	306 Merritt Drive	Cleveland	38732	Bolivar County	Cleveland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 843-4484	185	15	12.3	100.0%	21 (11.4%)	142 (76.8%)	11 (5.9%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (5.4%)	12.4	356^th of 390 public elementary schools	8.7%		8.1	365^th of 377 public elementary schools	3.2%	9	40.5	38.7	25.8	19.1	14.0	29.0	19.4	27.7	35.5	$11,013
Parks Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1301 Terrace Road	Cleveland	38732	Bolivar County	Cleveland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 843-3166	243	21	11.7	100.0%	94 (38.7%)	119 (49.0%)	8 (3.3%)	7 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (6.2%)	28.8	284^th of 390 public elementary schools	27.2%		23.6	306^th of 377 public elementary schools	18.8%	22	44.7	50.0	59.1	19.4	31.6	25.0	18.2	29.0	72.7	$13,360
Bell Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	1016 Taylor Street	Boyle	38730	Bolivar County	Cleveland School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(662) 843-4572	351	25	14.1	100.0%	131 (37.3%)	192 (54.7%)	7 (2.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.4%)	72.9	99^th of 390 public elementary schools	74.6%					(n/a)	59.1	68.5	65.2	46.6	47.7	75.0	67.5	93.3	67.5	$10,769
Hayes Cooper Center For Math School Tec	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	500 Martin L. King	Merigold	38759	Bolivar County	Cleveland School District	No	Yes	No	No	(662) 748-2734	328	25	13.0	100.0%	155 (47.3%)	137 (41.8%)	16 (4.9%)	3 (0.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.9%)	63	144^th of 390 public elementary schools	63.1%		72.2	92^nd of 377 public elementary schools	75.6%	52	62.9	42.8	90.3	40.9	45.7	40.0	90.3	59.1	83.8	$11,453
McEvans School	Public	K-6	601 Hwy 61 NORTH	Shaw	38773	Bolivar County	West Bolivar Cons School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(662) 754-6109	195	17	11.5	100.0%	4 (2.1%)	181 (92.8%)	3 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.6%)								(n/a)	33.4	19.3	25.0	11.1	13.3	9.7	12.5	11.1	62.5
Ruleville Central Elementary School	Public	K-5	410 L F Packer Drive	Ruleville	38771	Sunflower County	Sunflower City Cons School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 756-4276	270	19	14.0	100.0%	4 (1.5%)	260 (96.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.9%)	21.2	321^st of 390 public elementary schools	17.7%		39.1	234^th of 377 public elementary schools	37.9%	87	32.6	29.4	27.8		32.6	33.3	44.4		63.9	$11,625
I T Montgomery Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	202 Martin L. King Drive	Mound Bayou	38762	Bolivar County	North Bolivar Cons School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 333-8952	212	16	13.2	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	211 (99.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	28.1	289^th of 390 public elementary schools	25.9%		24.9	302^nd of 377 public elementary schools	19.9%	13	36.0	21.1	42.3	30.0	20.0	31.6	46.1	32.5	73.1	$13,518
A W James Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	400 South Blvd	Drew	38737	Sunflower County	Sunflower City Cons School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 745-8892	203	18	11.0	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	191 (94.1%)	7 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.5%)	55.4	175^th of 390 public elementary schools	55.1%		44.3	209^th of 377 public elementary schools	44.6%	34	57.7	26.1	53.5		77.8	60.8	57.1		60.7	$13,971

Frequently Asked Questions about D.M. Smith Elementary

What is the racial makeup of D.M. Smith Elementary?

Students at D.M. Smith Elementary are 97% African American, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend D.M. Smith Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 257 students attended D.M. Smith Elementary.

Is D.M. Smith Elementary a good school?

D.M. Smith Elementary ranks in the bottom 7.7% of Mississippi elementary schools.

What district is D.M. Smith Elementary in?

Cleveland School District

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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.