William J Berry Elementary School

Summary:

William J Berry Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-6 in Heidelberg, Mississippi, with a predominantly African American student population of over 99% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

Despite the school's high spending per student and low student-teacher ratio, William J Berry Elementary consistently underperforms compared to the state average on standardized tests, with proficiency rates ranging from 24.5% to 49.1% across different grade levels and subject areas, while the state averages range from 39.7% to 57.7%. The school has been ranked in the bottom half of Mississippi elementary schools for the past several years, with a consistent 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. When compared to nearby schools like Glade Elementary School, which is part of the Jones County School District, William J Berry Elementary is an outlier in terms of academic performance.

The high percentage of economically disadvantaged students at William J Berry Elementary suggests that socioeconomic factors may play a significant role in the school's academic challenges. While the school's performance is below average, it is not the lowest in the state, indicating that targeted interventions and support could potentially help the school make progress. Addressing the systemic issues at William J Berry Elementary will likely require a multifaceted approach that addresses both academic and socioeconomic factors to improve educational outcomes for the students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

4035 County Road 8
Heidelberg, MS 39439

(601) 787-2607

District: East Jasper Consolidated School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
293^rd of 390 Mississippi Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,611

Students who attend William J Berry Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Heidelberg Junior High School
High:	Heidelberg High School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.2

Number of students: 396

Racial breakdown:

African American:

98.7%

White:

0.8%

Two or more races:

0.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details William J Berry Elementary School ranks worse than 75.1% of elementary schools in Mississippi. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 27.63. (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 (98.7%), White (0.8%), two or more races (0.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at William J Berry Elementary School is 10.2. (See more...)

Compare William J Berry Elementary School employs 38.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at William J Berry Elementary School is $15,611.

Schooldigger Rankings:

William J Berry Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

East Jasper Consolidated School District:

SchoolDigger ranks East Jasper Consolidated School District 66^th of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for William J Berry Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MS State Percentile
2008	25.60	315^th	394	20.1%
2009	28.48	300^th	392	23.5%
2010	37.17	275^th	403	31.8%
2011	30.32	323^rd	418	22.7%
2012	46.34	224^th	414	45.9%
2013	37.26	271^st	408	33.6%
2014	34.69	280^th	394	28.9%
2015	47.92	191^st	402	52.5%
2016	25.15	305^th	394	22.6%
2017	49.09	198^th	406	51.2%
2018	48.33	210^th	404	48.0%
2019	43.33	234^th	397	41.1%
2021	30.73	254^th	381	33.3%
2022	33.79	256^th	382	33.0%
2023	37.97	246^th	377	34.7%
2024	27.63	293^rd	390	24.9%

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 William J Berry Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1990	0	1079	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	1080
1991	0	1073	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1073
1992	6	1039	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1045
1993	2	1020	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1022
1994	0	1021	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1021
1995	0	505	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	506
1996	0	505	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	506
1997	0	539	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	539
1998	0	525	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	525
1999	0	751	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	751
2000	1	710	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	711
2001	0	725	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	725
2002	0	685	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	686
2003	0	685	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	686
2004	5	662	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	672
2005	1	646	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	648
2006	1	665	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	666
2007	2	662	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	664
2008	3	610	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	613
2009	9	565	0	4	0	0	0	578
2010	8	513	0	2	0	0	1	524
2011	3	521	0	2	0	0	1	527
2012	4	511	0	2	0	0	0	517
2013	3	508	1	3	0	0	0	515
2014	3	508	2	1	0	0	3	517
2015	2	523	3	1	3	0	2	534
2016	3	539	3	3	0	0	3	551
2017	2	507	1	4	0	0	4	518
2018	6	488	1	3	0	0	5	503
2019	6	489	0	3	0	0	4	502
2020	4	456	0	3	0	0	5	468
2021	6	420	0	3	0	0	3	432
2022	9	399	1	1	0	0	2	412
2023	3	391	0	0	0	0	2	396

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 William J Berry Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	1080	57.3	18.8	n/a
1991	1073	58.5	18.3	n/a
1992	1045	55.4	18.8	85.4
1993	1022	52.4	19.5	80.7
1994	1021	52.3	19.5	81
1995	506	26.2	19.3	85.6
1996	506	26.2	19.3	85.6
1997	539	27.3	19.7	84.4
1998	525	28.6	18.4	85.3
1999	751	42.1	17.8	90.4
2000	711	46.2	15.4	93.8
2001	725	44.0	16.5	94.9
2002	686	40.7	16.9	96.2
2003	686	40.7	16.9	96.2
2004	672	43.5	15.4	93.2
2005	648	39.6	16.4	95.5
2006	666	37.2	17.9	98
2007	664	39.1	17.0	97.6
2008	613	41.8	14.7	96.4
2009	578	33.6	17.2	95.7
2010	524	33.4	15.6	97.7
2011	527	32.4	16.2	96.6
2012	517	29.2	17.6	86.3
2013	515	31.9	16.1	85.4
2014	517	30.9	16.6	97.5
2015	534	31.0	17.2	99.4
2016	551	30.0	18.3	99.5
2017	518	28.8	17.9	99.4
2018	503	29.3	17.1	99.4
2019	502	33.1	15.1	99.4
2020	468	33.3	14.0	99.4
2021	432	29.4	14.6	99.3
2022	412	34.5	11.9	99.3
2023	396	38.6	10.2	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 William J Berry Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	1080	57.3	18.8	n/a
1991	1073	58.5	18.3	n/a
1992	1045	55.4	18.8	85.4
1993	1022	52.4	19.5	80.7
1994	1021	52.3	19.5	81
1995	506	26.2	19.3	85.6
1996	506	26.2	19.3	85.6
1997	539	27.3	19.7	84.4
1998	525	28.6	18.4	85.3
1999	751	42.1	17.8	90.4
2000	711	46.2	15.4	93.8
2001	725	44.0	16.5	94.9
2002	686	40.7	16.9	96.2
2003	686	40.7	16.9	96.2
2004	672	43.5	15.4	93.2
2005	648	39.6	16.4	95.5
2006	666	37.2	17.9	98
2007	664	39.1	17.0	97.6
2008	613	41.8	14.7	96.4
2009	578	33.6	17.2	95.7
2010	524	33.4	15.6	97.7
2011	527	32.4	16.2	96.6
2012	517	29.2	17.6	86.3
2013	515	31.9	16.1	85.4
2014	517	30.9	16.6	97.5
2015	534	31.0	17.2	99.4
2016	551	30.0	18.3	99.5
2017	518	28.8	17.9	99.4
2018	503	29.3	17.1	99.4
2019	502	33.1	15.1	99.4
2020	468	33.3	14.0	99.4
2021	432	29.4	14.6	99.3
2022	412	34.5	11.9	99.3
2023	396	38.6	10.2	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 William J Berry Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$10,882
2018	$10,546
2019	$11,545
2020	$12,281
2021	$13,962
2022	$15,611

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on William J Berry 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 234^th of 397 Elementary schools	Ranks 246^th of 377 Elementary schools	6.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (William J Berry Elementary School)	30.9	40	9.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (East Jasper Consolidated School District)	30.9	40	9.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.3	51.6	3.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (William J Berry Elementary School)	26.5	66.7	40.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (East Jasper Consolidated School District)	26.5	66.7	40.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	51.4	54.8	3.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (William J Berry Elementary School)	44.1	26.4	17.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (East Jasper Consolidated School District)	44.1	26.4	17.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.5	53.4	4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (William J Berry Elementary School)	45.8	57.9	12.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (East Jasper Consolidated School District)	45.8	57.9	12.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	48.8	56.7	7.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (William J Berry Elementary School)	33.3	29.1	4.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (East Jasper Consolidated School District)	33.3	29.1	4.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	43	51.9	8.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (William J Berry Elementary School)	29.3	12.7	16.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (East Jasper Consolidated School District)	29.3	12.7	16.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	38.9	44.3	5.4%
5th Grade Science (William J Berry Elementary School)	53.3	61.8	8.5%
5th Grade Science (East Jasper Consolidated School District)	53.3	61.8	8.5%
5th Grade Science (Mississippi)	55.9	64.3	8.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (William J Berry Elementary School)	35.7	28.9	6.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (East Jasper Consolidated School District)	35.7	28.9	6.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	33.6	40.3	6.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (William J Berry Elementary School)	56.5	48.9	7.6%
6th Grade Mathematics (East Jasper Consolidated School District)	56.5	48.9	7.6%
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	502	396	21.1%
African American	489	391	20%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	3	0	100%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	6	3	50%
Two or More Races	4	2	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	99.4%	100%	0.6%

Schools Near William J Berry 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 English Language Arts 7th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MAAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MAAP Science 5th Grade	MAAP Science 8th Grade	Total
William J Berry Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	4035 County Road 8	Heidelberg	39439	Jasper County	East Jasper Consolidated School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 787-2607	396	39	10.2	100.0%	3 (0.8%)	391 (98.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	27.6	293^rd of 390 public elementary schools	24.9%		38	246^th of 377 public elementary schools	34.7%	47	39.3	42.6	33.3	24.5			49.1	42.6	28.2	24.5			66.7		$15,611
North Jones Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	650 Trace Road	Laurel	39443	Jones County	Jones County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 426-6632	859	60	14.2	99.7%	335 (39.0%)	311 (36.2%)	153 (17.8%)	7 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (6.1%)	48.9	209^th of 390 public elementary schools	46.4%		49.6	186^th of 377 public elementary schools	50.7%	23	50.0	44.5	49.1	48.0			37.8	41.2	42.2	66.3			76.8		$9,107
East Jones Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	108 Northeast Drive	Laurel	39443	Jones County	Jones County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 425-9799	772	58	13.2	99.6%	536 (69.4%)	123 (15.9%)	21 (2.7%)	5 (0.6%)	30 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (7.4%)	64	140^th of 390 public elementary schools	64.1%		58	153^rd of 377 public elementary schools	59.4%	13	52.2	62.6	52.8	43.8			75.2	57.0	55.0	63.3			66.0		$9,647
Nora Davis Elementary School	Public	2-4	1305 Martin Luther King Ave	Laurel	39440	Jones County	Laurel School District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(601) 438-3140	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	9	372^nd of 390 public elementary schools	4.6%					(n/a)	27.1	28.8					14.3	30.6
Laurel Magnet School Of The Arts	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	1125 North 5th Avenue	Laurel	39440	Jones County	Laurel School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(601) 428-7446	329	25	13.3	100.0%	28 (8.5%)	276 (83.9%)	10 (3.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.3%)	97	3^rd of 390 public elementary schools	99.2%		93.2	12^th of 377 public elementary schools	96.8%	9	86.9	95.4	82.2	65.7			89.2	95.5	86.7	94.7			93.4		$11,243
Bay Springs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	510 Hwy 18	Bay Springs	39422	Jasper County	West Jasper Consolidated Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 425-8520	405	29	14.1	99.3%	33 (8.1%)	354 (87.4%)	7 (1.7%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.7%)	50.3	201^st of 390 public elementary schools	48.5%		63.4	131^st of 377 public elementary schools	65.3%	70	61.1	55.3	35.8				74.1	58.9	50.8				53.7		$10,123
Quitman Lower Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	101 McArthur Street	Quitman	39355	Clarke County	Quitman School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 776-6156	464	36	13.0	100.0%	217 (46.8%)	239 (51.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.5%)								(n/a)															$11,412
Quitman Upper Elementary School	Public	3-5	300 East Franklin Street	Quitman	39355	Clarke County	Quitman School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 776-6123	309	27	11.4	99.7%	139 (45.0%)	161 (52.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.3%)	42.5	230^th of 390 public elementary schools	41.0%		38.2	244^th of 377 public elementary schools	35.3%	14	57.6	48.4	39.6				44.1	55.0	52.1				52.1		$12,388
Beat Four Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	5090 Hwy. 84	Waynesboro	39367	Wayne County	Wayne County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 735-2124	371	30	12.2	100.0%	223 (60.1%)	119 (32.1%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.0%)	25.1	305^th of 390 public elementary schools	21.8%		39.4	232^nd of 377 public elementary schools	38.5%	73	54.6	38.3	36.7	21.9	18.0	39.4	50.0	29.4	8.2	43.8	23.1	21.1	46.9	42.1	$11,236
Oak Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-1	1205 Oak Park Avenue	Laurel	39440	Jones County	Laurel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 428-5046	480	30	16.0	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	412 (85.8%)	59 (12.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.9%)								(n/a)															$10,777

Frequently Asked Questions about William J Berry Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of William J Berry Elementary School?

Students at William J Berry Elementary School are 99% African American.

What district is William J Berry Elementary School in?

East Jasper Consolidated School District

Is William J Berry Elementary School a good school?

William J Berry Elementary School ranks in the bottom 24.9% of Mississippi elementary schools.

How many students attend William J Berry Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 396 students attended William J Berry Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of William J Berry Elementary School attend?

Students who attend William J Berry Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Heidelberg Junior High School
High : Heidelberg 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.