Purvis Upper Elementary

Q: Is Purvis Upper Elementary a good school?

Purvis Upper Elementary ranks 182 nd of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Purvis Upper Elementary is a public elementary school serving grades 3-5 in Purvis, Mississippi, with a student population of 373. The school is part of the Lamar County School District, which is ranked 23 out of 130 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Purvis Upper Elementary generally performs better than the state average in MAAP (Mississippi Academic Assessment Program) test scores, particularly in English Language Arts and Science. For example, in 2023-2024, 65.2% of 3rd graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 57.7%. However, the school has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 99.08% to 99.2% over the past three school years, which is significantly higher than the state average. The school has maintained a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 11.6 to 12.6 over the past three years, lower than the state average.

When compared to other nearby schools in the Lamar County School District, Purvis Upper Elementary generally performs on par or slightly better in test scores, particularly in the lower grades. For instance, in 3rd grade ELA in 2023-2024, Purvis Upper had 65.2% proficient or better, compared to 80.7% at Baxterville School and 39.4% at Lumberton Elementary. However, the school's statewide ranking has declined from 110 out of 381 schools in 2020-2021 to 182 out of 390 schools in 2023-2024, suggesting the need for continued improvement efforts to address the unique challenges of its highly economically disadvantaged student population.

Detail:

Public 3-5

310 Mitchell
Purvis, MS 39475

(601) 794-2959

District: Lamar County School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
182^nd of 390 Mississippi Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,160

Students who attend Purvis Upper Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Purvis Middle School
High:	Purvis High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.6

Number of students: 373

Racial breakdown:

White:

81.0%

African American:

11.0%

Two or more races:

6.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.2%

See top rated Mississippi elementary schools

Compare Purvis Upper Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Purvis Upper Elementary ranks better than 53.3% of elementary schools in Mississippi. It also ranks 6^th among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Lamar County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.32. (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: White (81%), African American (11%), two or more races (6.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Purvis Upper Elementary is 12.6. 6 elementary schools in the Lamar County School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Purvis Upper Elementary employs 29.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Purvis Upper Elementary is $11,160, which is the 3^rd highest among 7 elementary schools in the Lamar County School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Purvis Upper Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Lamar County School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Lamar County School District 23^rd of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Purvis Upper Elementary

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MS State Percentile
2010	58.76	162^nd	403	59.8%
2011	70.84	102^nd	418	75.6%
2012	68.21	128^th	414	69.1%
2013	63.65	145^th	408	64.5%
2015	67.86	113^th	402	71.9%
2016	64.06	142^nd	394	64.0%
2017	65.51	128^th	406	68.5%
2018	60.26	154^th	404	61.9%
2019	64.49	135^th	397	66.0%
2021	69.50	110^th	381	71.1%
2022	60.85	153^rd	382	59.9%
2023	58.14	152^nd	377	59.7%
2024	54.32	182^nd	390	53.3%

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 Purvis Upper Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2008	296	38	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	338
2009	312	37	0	4	0	0	0	353
2010	286	44	1	4	0	0	0	335
2011	294	42	1	2	0	0	1	340
2012	304	30	2	7	0	0	1	344
2013	306	27	1	4	0	0	8	346
2014	320	33	1	5	0	0	12	371
2015	329	35	1	2	1	0	9	377
2016	343	41	2	4	1	0	10	401
2017	344	45	2	6	1	0	5	403
2018	345	39	2	5	1	0	6	398
2019	327	40	1	7	1	0	8	384
2020	310	42	1	4	1	0	6	364
2021	273	39	1	2	2	0	8	325
2022	300	39	0	3	3	0	15	360
2023	302	41	0	3	3	0	24	373

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 Purvis Upper Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	338	25.3	13.4	47.9
2009	353	25.3	14.0	47.3
2010	335	23.8	14.0	53.7
2011	340	24.0	14.1	56.2
2012	344	22.6	15.1	58.7
2013	346	23.4	14.7	61.6
2014	371	24.0	15.4	61.5
2015	377	25.0	15.0	56
2016	401	27.0	14.8	59.1
2017	403	29.2	13.7	54.6
2018	398	27.1	14.6	56.5
2019	384	29.6	12.9	53.6
2020	364	28.2	12.8	55.2
2021	325	27.0	12.0	99.1
2022	360	30.7	11.6	99.2
2023	373	29.3	12.6	99.2

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 Purvis Upper Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	338	25.3	13.4	47.9
2009	353	25.3	14.0	47.3
2010	335	23.8	14.0	53.7
2011	340	24.0	14.1	56.2
2012	344	22.6	15.1	58.7
2013	346	23.4	14.7	61.6
2014	371	24.0	15.4	61.5
2015	377	25.0	15.0	56
2016	401	27.0	14.8	59.1
2017	403	29.2	13.7	54.6
2018	398	27.1	14.6	56.5
2019	384	29.6	12.9	53.6
2020	364	28.2	12.8	55.2
2021	325	27.0	12.0	99.1
2022	360	30.7	11.6	99.2
2023	373	29.3	12.6	99.2

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 Purvis Upper Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$7,296
2018	$8,019
2019	$8,658
2020	$10,288
2021	$10,321
2022	$11,160

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Purvis Upper 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 135^th of 397 Elementary schools	Ranks 152^nd of 377 Elementary schools	6.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Purvis Upper Elementary)	47.4	53.7	6.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lamar County School District)	62.5	63.2	0.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.3	51.6	3.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Purvis Upper Elementary)	53.9	59	5.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Lamar County School District)	68.6	69.5	0.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	51.4	54.8	3.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Purvis Upper Elementary)	56.8	59.8	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lamar County School District)	60	58.8	1.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.5	53.4	4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Purvis Upper Elementary)	53.2	47.4	5.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lamar County School District)	58.6	57.3	1.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	48.8	56.7	7.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Purvis Upper Elementary)	52.9	49.5	3.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Lamar County School District)	53.5	61.4	7.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	43	51.9	8.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Purvis Upper Elementary)	40.7	37.4	3.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Lamar County School District)	52	46.5	5.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	38.9	44.3	5.4%
5th Grade Science (Purvis Upper Elementary)	56.5	70.5	14%
5th Grade Science (Lamar County School District)	63.5	71.2	7.7%
5th Grade Science (Mississippi)	55.9	64.3	8.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	384	373	2.9%
African American	40	41	2.5%
American Indian	1	3	200%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	7	3	57.1%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	327	302	7.6%
Two or More Races	8	24	200%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	53.6%	99.2%	45.5%

Schools Near Purvis Upper 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 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
Purvis Upper Elementary	Public	3-5	310 Mitchell	Purvis	39475	Lamar County	Lamar County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 794-2959	373	29	12.6	99.2%	302 (81.0%)	41 (11.0%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (6.4%)	54.3	182^nd of 390 public elementary schools	53.3%		58.1	152^nd of 377 public elementary schools	59.7%	30	65.2	62.3	40.3				59.3	53.3	47.2				66.7		$11,160
Purvis Lower Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	5976 U.S. Hwy. 11	Purvis	39475	Lamar County	Lamar County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 794-3302	454	37	12.1	99.3%	387 (85.2%)	36 (7.9%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.9%)								(n/a)															$10,176
Dixie Attendance Center	Public	PK, KG-8	790 Elks Lake Road	Hattiesburg	39401	Forrest County	Forrest County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 582-4890	498	43	11.6	99.4%	284 (57.0%)	147 (29.5%)	14 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (10.6%)	82	55^th of 390 public elementary schools	85.9%		73.8	85^th of 377 public elementary schools	77.5%	30	75.4	64.7	74.5	42.1	57.1	44.8	82.1	70.5	70.2	57.9	74.6	50.0	85.1	60.4	$12,740
Lumberton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	7922 US Highway 11 S	Lumberton	39455	Lamar County	Lamar County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 796-3721	292	28	10.5	99.0%	136 (46.6%)	123 (42.1%)	5 (1.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (9.2%)	29.4	282^nd of 390 public elementary schools	27.7%		29.9	281^st of 377 public elementary schools	25.5%	1	39.4	42.5	45.1	21.4			30.3	66.7	32.2	40.4			45.2		$12,216
Oak Grove Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	70 Leaf Lane	Hattiesburg	39402	Forrest County	Lamar County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 264-9764	764	66	11.5	99.6%	323 (42.3%)	328 (42.9%)	28 (3.7%)	18 (2.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (8.6%)	75.3	86^th of 390 public elementary schools	77.9%		70.5	103^rd of 377 public elementary schools	72.7%	17	71.8	69.1	56.0				64.6	61.8	72.0				73.8		$10,577
Bellevue Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1760 Old Highway 24	Hattiesburg	39402	Forrest County	Lamar County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 264-6724	1,124	94	12.0	99.7%	442 (39.3%)	461 (41.0%)	112 (10.0%)	18 (1.6%)	2 (0.2%)	5 (0.4%)	84 (7.5%)	70.6	110^th of 390 public elementary schools	71.8%					(n/a)	69.9	70.8	63.6				58.1	57.1	51.6				74.8		$10,202
Baxterville School	Public	PK, KG-8	5531 Highway 11	Lumberton	39455	Lamar County	Lamar County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 796-4483	252	27	9.2	98.8%	242 (96.0%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.8%)	67.9	119^th of 390 public elementary schools	69.5%		44	212^th of 377 public elementary schools	43.8%	93	80.7	60.7	50.0	52.9	21.4	61.9	76.9	53.6	59.4	70.6	85.7	66.6	62.5	81.0	$14,791
Thames Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2900 Jamestown Road	Hattiesburg	39402	Forrest County	Hattiesburg Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 582-6655	532	46	11.5	100.0%	21 (3.9%)	461 (86.7%)	3 (0.6%)	10 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	36 (6.8%)	58.9	159^th of 390 public elementary schools	59.2%		48.2	190^th of 377 public elementary schools	49.6%	31	51.8	56.5	65.2				54.2	49.3	46.3				81.2		$12,795
Earl Travillion Attendance Center	Public	PK, KG-8	316 Travillion Drive	Hattiesburg	39401	Forrest County	Forrest County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 584-9303	263	29	9.0	98.9%	4 (1.5%)	176 (66.9%)	71 (27.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.6%)	16.3	342^nd of 390 public elementary schools	12.3%		24.2	304^th of 377 public elementary schools	19.4%	38	21.5	26.1	52.6	14.3	31.6	15.0	32.1	4.3	26.3	38.1	26.3	25.0	47.3	25.0	$14,682
Rowan Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	500 Martin Luther King Drive	Hattiesburg	39401	Forrest County	Hattiesburg Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 583-0960	349	28	12.6	100.0%	1 (0.3%)	332 (95.1%)	8 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.3%)	78.7	67^th of 390 public elementary schools	82.8%		74.6	83^rd of 377 public elementary schools	78.0%	16	47.6	69.4	66.7				81.0	69.3	66.7				89.4		$12,738

Frequently Asked Questions about Purvis Upper Elementary

Is Purvis Upper Elementary a good school?

Purvis Upper Elementary ranks 182^nd of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Purvis Upper Elementary?

Students at Purvis Upper Elementary are 81% White, 11% African American, 6% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Purvis Upper Elementary attend?

Students who attend Purvis Upper Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Purvis Middle School
High : Purvis High School

How many students attend Purvis Upper Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 373 students attended Purvis Upper Elementary.

What district is Purvis Upper Elementary in?

Lamar County 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.