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Laurel Upper Elementary

Summary:

Laurel Upper Elementary is a public elementary school serving grades 4-5 in the Laurel School District in Laurel, Mississippi, with a student population of 295 that is predominantly African American (80.34%).

Despite its small class sizes, Laurel Upper Elementary significantly underperforms the state and district averages in standardized test scores, with only 16.5% of 4th graders and 18.7% of 5th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to state averages of 53.4% and 51.9% respectively. The school's math proficiency rates are even lower, at 12.4% for 4th grade and 11.9% for 5th grade, compared to state averages of 56.7% and 44.3%. This poor academic performance is likely exacerbated by the school's 100% free and reduced-price lunch rate, indicating that all students come from low-income households, and its lower-than-average spending per student of $7,878.

Interestingly, Laurel Upper Elementary's performance is significantly lower than that of other elementary schools in the Laurel School District, such as Laurel Magnet School Of The Arts, which consistently ranks among the top schools in the state. Additionally, the school's academic outcomes lag behind those of William J Berry Elementary School, which has a student population that is 98.74% African American, suggesting that factors beyond race, such as socioeconomic status and school-level policies, may be more significant drivers of academic achievement.


Detail:

Public 5-6

 600 South 16th Avenue
       Laurel, MS  39440

(601) 428-8573

District: Laurel School District

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,647 Help


Students who attend Laurel Upper Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Laurel Middle School
High:    Laurel High School

Student/teacher ratio:  11.9 Help
Number of students:  286

Racial breakdown:

African American:
79.4%
Hispanic:
15.7%
White:
2.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Laurel Upper Elementary is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 6.04. (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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (79.4%), Hispanic (15.7%), White (2.4%). (See more...)
Help
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 Laurel Upper Elementary is 11.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare Laurel Upper Elementary employs 23.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Laurel Upper Elementary is $12,647.
Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Laurel School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Laurel School District 87th of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Laurel Upper Elementary

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MS State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2012 25.98 341st 414 17.6%
2013 26.41 327th 408 19.9%
2014 33.39 294th 394 25.4%
2015 15.04 380th 402 5.5%
2016 13.96 362nd 394 8.1%
2017 30.29 294th 406 27.6%
2018 24.73 315th 404 22.0%
2019 25.69 305th 397 23.2%
2021 12.42 345th 381 9.4%
2022 11.21 355th 382 7.1%
2023 6.04 372nd 377 1.3%
See the entire list of Mississippi Middle School Rankings!

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

Laurel Upper 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 Laurel Upper Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2011 5 260 3 33 0 0 0 0 301
2012 4 248 2 45 0 0 0 0 299
2013 5 250 2 57 0 0 2 0 316
2014 5 194 1 56 0 0 0 0 256
2015 6 245 3 70 0 0 0 0 324
2016 6 224 1 79 0 0 6 0 316
2017 5 217 1 71 0 0 3 0 297
2018 6 227 1 71 0 0 5 0 310
2019 4 239 1 79 0 0 3 0 326
2020 5 295 2 50 1 0 7 0 360
2021 8 287 0 49 0 0 9 0 353
2022 9 298 0 51 1 0 11 0 370
2023 8 237 0 43 1 0 6 0 295
2024 7 227 0 45 1 0 6 0 286

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 Laurel Upper Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2011 301 20.2 14.8 95
2012 299 23.6 12.6 99
2013 316 21.0 15.0 98.7
2014 256 18.6 13.6 97.7
2015 324 17.0 19.0 100
2016 316 19.0 16.6 100
2017 297 15.0 19.7 100
2018 310 15.0 20.5 100
2019 326 12.8 25.3 100
2020 360 23.5 15.2 100
2021 353 24.5 14.3 100
2022 370 25.0 14.7 100
2023 295 26.7 11.0 100
2024 286 23.8 11.9 100

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 Laurel Upper Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2011 301 20.2 14.8 95
2012 299 23.6 12.6 99
2013 316 21.0 15.0 98.7
2014 256 18.6 13.6 97.7
2015 324 17.0 19.0 100
2016 316 19.0 16.6 100
2017 297 15.0 19.7 100
2018 310 15.0 20.5 100
2019 326 12.8 25.3 100
2020 360 23.5 15.2 100
2021 353 24.5 14.3 100
2022 370 25.0 14.7 100
2023 295 26.7 11.0 100
2024 286 23.8 11.9 100

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 Laurel Upper Elementary

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2017 $8,956
2018 $7,878
2019 $8,813
2020 $9,549
2021 $8,849
2022 $12,647

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Laurel 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 305th of 397 Elementary schoolsRanks 372nd of 377 Elementary schools
 21.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (Laurel Upper Elementary)34.616.5
 18.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Laurel School District)30.840.4
 9.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)48.553.4
 4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Laurel Upper Elementary)26.912.4
 14.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Laurel School District)35.837.4
 1.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)48.856.7
 7.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Laurel Upper Elementary)33.318.7
 14.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Laurel School District)32.428.7
 3.7%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)4351.9
 8.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Laurel Upper Elementary)23.511.9
 11.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Laurel School District)27.426.8
 0.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)38.944.3
 5.4%
5th Grade Science (Laurel Upper Elementary)5138.7
 12.3%
   5th Grade Science (Laurel School District)44.442.8
 1.6%
   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 Students326295
 9.5%
African American239237
 0.8%
American Indian01
Asian10
 100%
Hispanic7943
 45.6%
Pacific Islander00
White48
 100%
Two or More Races36
 100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Laurel Upper Elementary

In the 2023-24 school year, 286 students attended Laurel Upper Elementary.

Students who attend Laurel Upper Elementary usually go on to attend Laurel Middle School

Students at Laurel Upper Elementary are 79% African American, 16% Hispanic, 2% White, 2% Two or more races.


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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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