Poplar Springs Elementary School

Q: Is Poplar Springs Elementary School a good school?

Poplar Springs Elementary School ranks 238 th of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Poplar Springs Elementary School is a public elementary school in Meridian, Mississippi, serving 412 students in grades K-5. While the school consistently outperforms the Meridian Public Schools district and the state of Mississippi in academic performance, its ranking and rating have declined over the years, raising concerns about the school's trajectory.

Poplar Springs Elementary stands out for its strong academic performance, with significantly higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science compared to the district and state averages. The school also has a more diverse student population, with a higher percentage of African American and Hispanic students, and a low student-teacher ratio. However, the school's high percentage of students from low-income families, as indicated by the 100% free and reduced lunch rate, may be a contributing factor to its academic challenges.

When compared to nearby schools, Poplar Springs Elementary's performance is generally stronger than other Meridian Public Schools such as Crestwood Elementary, West Hills Elementary, and Parkview Elementary. However, when compared to schools in the higher-ranked Lauderdale County School District, such as Clarkdale Elementary and West Lauderdale Elementary, Poplar Springs' performance is not as strong.

Detail:

Public K-5

4101 27th Avenue
Meridian, MS 39305

(601) 484-4455

District: Meridian Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
238^th of 390 Mississippi Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,059

Students who attend Poplar Springs Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Northwest Junior High School
High:	Meridian High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 412

Racial breakdown:

African American:

81.8%

White:

10.0%

Two or more races:

4.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Compare Poplar Springs Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Poplar Springs Elementary School ranks worse than 61% of elementary schools in Mississippi. It also ranks first among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Meridian Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.51. (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 (81.8%), White (10%), two or more races (4.9%). (See more...)

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

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Poplar Springs Elementary School is 14.3. 2 elementary schools in the Meridian Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Poplar Springs Elementary School employs 28.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Poplar Springs Elementary School is $12,059. 2 elementary schools in the Meridian Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Poplar Springs Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Meridian Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Meridian Public Schools 117^th of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Poplar Springs Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MS State Percentile
2008	82.02	56^th	394	85.8%
2009	76.44	83^rd	392	78.8%
2010	76.13	79^th	403	80.4%
2011	88.71	28^th	418	93.3%
2012	80.85	60^th	414	85.5%
2013	74.37	96^th	408	76.5%
2014	88.40	25^th	394	93.7%
2015	88.02	34^th	402	91.5%
2016	73.01	89^th	394	77.4%
2017	74.42	89^th	406	78.1%
2018	55.34	179^th	404	55.7%
2019	63.36	140^th	397	64.7%
2021	36.40	235^th	381	38.3%
2022	29.89	264^th	382	30.9%
2023	30.75	276^th	377	26.8%
2024	41.51	238^th	390	39.0%

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 Poplar Springs Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1990	473	202	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	675
1991	506	205	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	712
1992	488	194	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	685
1993	455	232	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	690
1994	429	213	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	648
1995	400	180	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	585
1996	400	180	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	585
1997	378	195	4	0	1	n/a	n/a	578
1998	366	201	9	0	0	n/a	n/a	576
1999	354	216	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	573
2000	317	206	1	27	1	n/a	n/a	552
2001	326	173	2	2	1	n/a	n/a	504
2002	344	184	1	9	0	n/a	n/a	538
2003	344	184	1	9	0	n/a	n/a	538
2004	312	196	5	9	0	n/a	n/a	522
2005	276	206	6	8	0	n/a	n/a	496
2006	291	217	13	8	0	n/a	n/a	529
2007	285	227	10	6	0	n/a	n/a	528
2008	289	231	13	4	0	n/a	n/a	537
2009	292	275	16	15	1	0	0	599
2010	271	269	17	6	1	0	0	564
2011	254	258	15	8	1	0	1	537
2012	265	238	18	10	1	1	0	533
2013	249	283	21	8	0	1	3	565
2014	250	260	16	16	0	1	6	549
2015	210	275	16	21	0	1	1	524
2016	184	272	17	26	0	0	2	501
2017	159	304	13	26	0	1	1	504
2018	131	309	10	22	1	0	0	473
2019	122	314	12	25	1	0	0	474
2020	115	343	7	34	1	0	4	504
2021	77	337	6	20	0	0	7	447
2022	46	359	0	15	0	0	11	431
2023	41	337	3	11	0	0	20	412

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 Poplar Springs Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	675	33.0	20.4	n/a
1991	712	34.0	20.9	n/a
1992	685	34.3	19.9	57.2
1993	690	38.3	18.0	57.1
1994	648	37.7	17.2	58.2
1995	585	35.0	16.7	59.3
1996	585	35.0	16.7	59.3
1997	578	33.7	17.2	58.3
1998	576	31.8	18.1	63.2
1999	573	34.6	16.6	67.9
2000	552	37.2	14.8	69.7
2001	504	35.1	14.4	74.8
2002	538	33.2	16.2	78.4
2003	538	33.2	16.2	78.4
2004	522	32.8	15.9	28.5
2005	496	31.0	16.0	33.9
2006	529	31.8	16.6	38.4
2007	528	35.9	14.7	37.7
2008	537	34.9	15.4	38.7
2009	599	37.1	16.1	41.2
2010	564	36.7	15.3	42.4
2011	537	35.3	15.1	44.7
2012	533	36.2	14.7	43.3
2013	565	33.8	16.7	46.4
2014	549	32.0	17.1	45
2015	524	32.0	16.3	100
2016	501	32.0	15.6	100
2017	504	32.8	15.3	100
2018	473	30.7	15.3	100
2019	474	30.8	15.3	100
2020	504	31.8	15.8	100
2021	447	31.8	14.0	100
2022	431	27.6	15.5	100
2023	412	28.7	14.3	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 Poplar Springs Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	675	33.0	20.4	n/a
1991	712	34.0	20.9	n/a
1992	685	34.3	19.9	57.2
1993	690	38.3	18.0	57.1
1994	648	37.7	17.2	58.2
1995	585	35.0	16.7	59.3
1996	585	35.0	16.7	59.3
1997	578	33.7	17.2	58.3
1998	576	31.8	18.1	63.2
1999	573	34.6	16.6	67.9
2000	552	37.2	14.8	69.7
2001	504	35.1	14.4	74.8
2002	538	33.2	16.2	78.4
2003	538	33.2	16.2	78.4
2004	522	32.8	15.9	28.5
2005	496	31.0	16.0	33.9
2006	529	31.8	16.6	38.4
2007	528	35.9	14.7	37.7
2008	537	34.9	15.4	38.7
2009	599	37.1	16.1	41.2
2010	564	36.7	15.3	42.4
2011	537	35.3	15.1	44.7
2012	533	36.2	14.7	43.3
2013	565	33.8	16.7	46.4
2014	549	32.0	17.1	45
2015	524	32.0	16.3	100
2016	501	32.0	15.6	100
2017	504	32.8	15.3	100
2018	473	30.7	15.3	100
2019	474	30.8	15.3	100
2020	504	31.8	15.8	100
2021	447	31.8	14.0	100
2022	431	27.6	15.5	100
2023	412	28.7	14.3	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 Poplar Springs Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$9,211
2018	$9,245
2019	$9,716
2020	$10,234
2021	$10,157
2022	$12,059

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Poplar Springs 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 140^th of 397 Elementary schools	Ranks 276^th of 377 Elementary schools	37.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Poplar Springs Elementary School)	47.9	43.9	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Meridian Public Schools)	25.7	29.8	4.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.3	51.6	3.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Poplar Springs Elementary School)	75.3	33.3	42%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Meridian Public Schools)	30.2	22.6	7.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	51.4	54.8	3.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Poplar Springs Elementary School)	53.9	48.4	5.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Meridian Public Schools)	27.7	44.1	16.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.5	53.4	4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Poplar Springs Elementary School)	57.9	40	17.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Meridian Public Schools)	31.5	31.7	0.2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	48.8	56.7	7.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Poplar Springs Elementary School)	44.3	46.8	2.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Meridian Public Schools)	27.8	35.7	7.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	43	51.9	8.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Poplar Springs Elementary School)	38	13	25%
5th Grade Mathematics (Meridian Public Schools)	16.9	23.3	6.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	38.9	44.3	5.4%
5th Grade Science (Poplar Springs Elementary School)	49.4	48.3	1.1%
5th Grade Science (Meridian Public Schools)	39.2	47.2	8%
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	474	412	13.1%
African American	314	337	7.3%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	12	3	75%
Hispanic	25	11	56%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	122	41	66.4%
Two or More Races	0	20
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Poplar Springs 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 Mathematics 3rd Grade	MAAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MAAP Science 5th Grade	Total
Poplar Springs Elementary School	Public	K-5	4101 27th Avenue	Meridian	39305	Lauderdale County	Meridian Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 484-4455	412	29	14.3	100.0%	41 (10.0%)	337 (81.8%)	11 (2.7%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.9%)	41.5	238^th of 390 public elementary schools	39.0%		30.7	276^th of 377 public elementary schools	26.8%	38	57.8	37.6	53.7		51.6	18.8	46.3		68.5	$12,059
West Hills Elementary School	Public	K-5	4100 32nd Street	Meridian	39307	Lauderdale County	Meridian Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 484-4474	478	28	17.3	100.0%	8 (1.7%)	447 (93.5%)	10 (2.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.3%)	28.3	287^th of 390 public elementary schools	26.4%		23.3	307^th of 377 public elementary schools	18.6%	20	52.7	37.7	29.5		46.0	34.1	27.4		62.0	$10,619
Parkview Elementary School	Public	K-5	1225 26th Street	Meridian	39305	Lauderdale County	Meridian Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 484-3616	408	32	12.6	100.0%	7 (1.7%)	385 (94.4%)	1 (0.2%)	7 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.0%)	12.9	353^rd of 390 public elementary schools	9.5%		15.2	335^th of 377 public elementary schools	11.1%	18	20.3	31.7	37.1		17.4	26.7	37.1		51.4	$12,497
G.W. Washington Carver Elementary	Public	K-5	900 44th Ave	Meridian	39307	Lauderdale County	Meridian Public Schools	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(601) 484-4482	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	10.3	368^th of 390 public elementary schools	5.6%					(n/a)	31.3	24.7	32.5		13.2	20.2	23.4		52.0
Northeast Lauderdale Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	6750 Newell Road	Meridian	39305	Lauderdale County	Lauderdale County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 485-4882	699	63	11.0	99.6%	231 (33.0%)	400 (57.2%)	22 (3.1%)	12 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	30 (4.3%)	42.4	231^st of 390 public elementary schools	40.8%		41.8	222^nd of 377 public elementary schools	41.1%	9	47.3	60.5			25.3	60.5				$11,667
Crestwood Elementary School	Public	K-5	730 Crestwood Dr.	Meridian	39301	Lauderdale County	Meridian Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 482-0395	259	18	14.0	100.0%	6 (2.3%)	225 (86.9%)	16 (6.2%)	1 (0.4%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.1%)	16.7	339^th of 390 public elementary schools	13.1%		27.7	288^th of 377 public elementary schools	23.6%	51	20.9	21.3	40.6		19.4	19.7	50.1		68.8	$12,988
Southeast Lauderdale Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	2362 A Long Creek Road	Meridian	39301	Lauderdale County	Lauderdale County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 486-2500	503	37	13.7	99.4%	334 (66.4%)	143 (28.4%)	12 (2.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.4%)	52.8	186^th of 390 public elementary schools	52.3%		55.9	159^th of 377 public elementary schools	57.8%	27	53.2	61.6			42.6	60.3				$10,040
West Lauderdale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	10350 Highway 495	Meridian	39305	Lauderdale County	Lauderdale County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 737-2279	687	48	14.2	99.6%	554 (80.6%)	95 (13.8%)	11 (1.6%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.3%)	73	97^th of 390 public elementary schools	75.1%		70.7	102^nd of 377 public elementary schools	72.9%	5	70.1	79.4			38.5	72.8				$9,636
Clarkdale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	7000 Highway 145	Meridian	39031	Lauderdale County	Lauderdale County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 693-4463	520	42	12.4	99.4%	444 (85.4%)	56 (10.8%)	6 (1.2%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.7%)	88.1	31^st of 390 public elementary schools	92.1%		83	50^th of 377 public elementary schools	86.7%	19	80.7	71.4	70.6	54.9	72.6	72.8	75.0	71.9	92.6	$10,512
Enterprise Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	103 Short Street	Enterprise	39330	Clarke County	Enterprise School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 659-7613	394	35	11.1	99.2%	357 (90.6%)	26 (6.6%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.3%)	77	76^th of 390 public elementary schools	80.5%		76.8	70^th of 377 public elementary schools	81.4%	6	72.7	83.9			45.5	85.5				$10,028

Frequently Asked Questions about Poplar Springs Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Poplar Springs Elementary School?

Students at Poplar Springs Elementary School are 82% African American, 10% White, 5% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Poplar Springs Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Poplar Springs Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Northwest Junior High School
High : Meridian High School

How many students attend Poplar Springs Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 412 students attended Poplar Springs Elementary School.

Is Poplar Springs Elementary School a good school?

Poplar Springs Elementary School ranks 238^th of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Poplar Springs Elementary School in?

Meridian Public Schools

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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.