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A. W. Watson Elementary

Summary:

A. W. Watson Elementary is a public elementary school located in Port Gibson, Mississippi, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 533 students. The school is part of the Claiborne County School District, which is ranked 109 out of 130 districts in Mississippi and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

A. W. Watson Elementary has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (97.94%) compared to the state average and nearby schools, such as Warrenton Elementary School and Jefferson County Elementary School. The school consistently underperforms the state average and nearby schools in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subjects, with proficiency rates around 30-40% in English Language Arts and Mathematics, compared to the state averages of 51-57%. A. W. Watson Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of Mississippi elementary schools, with a ranking between 255 and 369 out of 390-406 schools over the past decade, and has maintained a 1-star or 0-star rating from SchoolDigger during this time.

The challenges faced by A. W. Watson Elementary are further compounded by the fact that 100% of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. While the nearby schools also serve predominantly African American student populations, they perform significantly better than A. W. Watson Elementary, highlighting the potential for improvement at this school with the right resources and strategies. The stark contrast in performance raises questions about equity in educational opportunities and resource allocation within the Claiborne County School District, and the school's struggles are likely influenced by broader socioeconomic and systemic factors within the community.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 880 Anthony St.
       Port Gibson, MS  39150

(601) 437-5070

District: Claiborne County School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
330th of 390 Mississippi Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,366 Help


Students who attend A. W. Watson Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Port Gibson Middle School
High:    Port Gibson High School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.4 Help
Number of students:  533

Racial breakdown:

African American:
97.9%
Hispanic:
0.9%
Two or more races:
0.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details A. W. Watson Elementary ranks worse than 84.6% of elementary schools in Mississippi. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 20.31. (See more...)
Help
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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (97.9%), Hispanic (0.9%), two or more races (0.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at A. W. Watson Elementary is 14.4. (See more...)
Help
Compare A. W. Watson Elementary employs 36.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at A. W. Watson Elementary is $13,366.
Schooldigger Rankings:

A. W. Watson Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Claiborne County School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Claiborne County School District 109th of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for A. W. Watson Elementary

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MS State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2008 17.14 350th 394 11.2%
2009 16.62 349th 392 11.0%
2010 49.62 211th 403 47.6%
2011 47.73 232nd 418 44.5%
2012 63.60 148th 414 64.3%
2013 50.70 214th 408 47.5%
2014 38.84 255th 394 35.3%
2015 22.65 330th 402 17.9%
2016 12.40 375th 394 4.8%
2017 19.76 341st 406 16.0%
2018 35.63 267th 404 33.9%
2019 14.31 358th 397 9.8%
2021 9.47 369th 381 3.1%
2022 28.06 273rd 382 28.5%
2023 31.92 272nd 377 27.9%
2024 20.31 330th 390 15.4%
See the entire list of Mississippi Elementary School Rankings!

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

A. W. Watson Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

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Enrollment information for A. W. Watson Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1992 2 535 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 537
1993 1 529 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 530
1994 7 973 1 0 2 n/a n/a 0 983
1995 3 986 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 989
1996 3 986 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 989
1997 7 967 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 975
1998 1 970 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 971
1999 4 979 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 983
2000 4 954 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 958
2001 4 989 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 993
2002 6 879 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 886
2003 6 879 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 886
2004 4 680 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 685
2005 8 873 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 881
2006 2 935 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 937
2007 6 885 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 891
2008 4 858 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 862
2009 2 823 0 0 0 0 0 0 825
2010 2 790 1 0 0 0 0 0 793
2011 3 848 0 1 0 0 1 0 853
2012 4 803 0 1 0 0 0 0 808
2013 5 813 0 2 0 0 0 0 820
2014 5 772 0 1 1 0 3 0 782
2015 4 765 0 0 1 0 2 0 772
2016 5 742 0 1 1 0 1 0 750
2017 2 707 1 1 0 0 2 0 713
2018 0 726 1 1 0 0 3 0 731
2019 0 341 0 2 0 0 2 0 345
2020 3 741 5 0 0 0 3 0 752
2021 3 605 4 0 0 0 1 0 613
2022 3 544 1 5 0 0 1 0 554
2023 1 522 2 5 0 0 3 0 533

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 A. W. Watson Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1992 537 31.7 16.9 88.3
1993 530 25.4 20.9 88.7
1994 983 53.1 18.5 86.6
1995 989 51.0 19.4 84.6
1996 989 51.0 19.4 84.6
1997 975 45.9 21.2 87.4
1998 971 48.7 19.9 85.4
1999 983 48.1 20.4 94.9
2000 958 50.1 19.1 96.8
2001 993 52.0 19.1 95.4
2002 886 53.0 16.7 94.9
2003 886 53.0 16.7 94.9
2004 685 52.3 13.1 99.6
2005 881 19.9 44.3 99.7
2006 937 43.1 21.7 99.7
2007 891 47.7 18.7 99.7
2008 862 48.4 17.8 94.2
2009 825 47.6 17.3 99.6
2010 793 49.4 16.0 99.6
2011 853 46.2 18.4 99.6
2012 808 43.9 18.3 99.6
2013 820 44.3 18.4 99.6
2014 782 42.8 18.2 99.6
2015 772 43.0 17.9 100
2016 750 43.0 17.4 100
2017 713 38.7 18.4 100
2018 731 39.1 18.6 100
2019 345 17.3 19.9 100
2020 752 37.6 19.9 100
2021 613 34.1 17.9 100
2022 554 32.0 17.3 100
2023 533 36.9 14.4 100

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 A. W. Watson Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1992 537 31.7 16.9 88.3
1993 530 25.4 20.9 88.7
1994 983 53.1 18.5 86.6
1995 989 51.0 19.4 84.6
1996 989 51.0 19.4 84.6
1997 975 45.9 21.2 87.4
1998 971 48.7 19.9 85.4
1999 983 48.1 20.4 94.9
2000 958 50.1 19.1 96.8
2001 993 52.0 19.1 95.4
2002 886 53.0 16.7 94.9
2003 886 53.0 16.7 94.9
2004 685 52.3 13.1 99.6
2005 881 19.9 44.3 99.7
2006 937 43.1 21.7 99.7
2007 891 47.7 18.7 99.7
2008 862 48.4 17.8 94.2
2009 825 47.6 17.3 99.6
2010 793 49.4 16.0 99.6
2011 853 46.2 18.4 99.6
2012 808 43.9 18.3 99.6
2013 820 44.3 18.4 99.6
2014 782 42.8 18.2 99.6
2015 772 43.0 17.9 100
2016 750 43.0 17.4 100
2017 713 38.7 18.4 100
2018 731 39.1 18.6 100
2019 345 17.3 19.9 100
2020 752 37.6 19.9 100
2021 613 34.1 17.9 100
2022 554 32.0 17.3 100
2023 533 36.9 14.4 100

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 A. W. Watson Elementary

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2017 $7,828
2018 $9,131
2019 $9,319
2020 $10,210
2021 $10,274
2022 $13,366

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on A. W. Watson 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 358th of 397 Elementary schoolsRanks 272nd of 377 Elementary schools
 18%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (A. W. Watson Elementary)20.276.7
 56.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Claiborne County School District)20.276.7
 56.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)48.553.4
 4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (A. W. Watson Elementary)30.436.7
 6.3%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Claiborne County School District)30.436.7
 6.3%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)48.856.7
 7.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (A. W. Watson Elementary)28.335.9
 7.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Claiborne County School District)28.335.9
 7.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)4351.9
 8.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (A. W. Watson Elementary)1726.9
 9.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Claiborne County School District)1726.9
 9.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)38.944.3
 5.4%
5th Grade Science (A. W. Watson Elementary)19.848.7
 28.9%
   5th Grade Science (Claiborne County School District)19.848.7
 28.9%
   5th Grade Science (Mississippi)55.964.3
 8.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students345533
 54.5%
African American341522
 53.1%
American Indian00
Asian02
Hispanic25
 150%
Pacific Islander00
White01
Two or More Races23
 50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%

Schools Near A. W. Watson Elementary








Frequently Asked Questions about A. W. Watson Elementary

Students at A. W. Watson Elementary are 98% African American.

A. W. Watson Elementary ranks in the bottom 15.4% of Mississippi elementary schools.

Students who attend A. W. Watson Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Port Gibson Middle School
High : Port Gibson High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 533 students attended A. W. Watson Elementary.


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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.




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