Nicholson Elementary School

Q: Is Nicholson Elementary School a good school?

Nicholson Elementary School ranks 246 th of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Nicholson Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades K-6 in the Picayune School District in Picayune, Mississippi, with a student population of 363. The school's racial makeup has shifted in recent years, with a decrease in White students and an increase in students identifying as two or more races.

Nicholson Elementary School faces several key challenges, including consistently lower test scores compared to the district and state averages, a ranking in the bottom half of Mississippi elementary schools, and a 100% free and reduced lunch rate, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among its student population. However, the school's low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 12.4 to 13.7 over the past three years, could be an asset if leveraged effectively to provide more individualized attention and support for students. When compared to nearby schools, such as South Side Elementary School, which consistently outperforms Nicholson in test scores and has a higher SchoolDigger ranking, the challenges facing Nicholson become more evident.

Despite these challenges, Nicholson Elementary School's diversity, with a higher percentage of African American and Hispanic students compared to some nearby schools, could present opportunities to develop culturally responsive teaching practices and create a more inclusive learning environment. By addressing the school's areas of concern and capitalizing on its strengths, Nicholson Elementary School could work towards better serving its students and closing the achievement gap with the surrounding schools.

Detail:

Public K-6

1887 Hwy 11 South
Picayune, MS 39466

(601) 798-6309

District: Picayune School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
246^th of 390 Mississippi Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,851

Students who attend Nicholson Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Picayune Junior High School
High:	Picayune Memorial High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.6

Number of students: 363

Racial breakdown:

White:

48.8%

African American:

27.3%

Two or more races:

19.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated Mississippi elementary schools

Compare Nicholson Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Nicholson Elementary School ranks worse than 63.1% of elementary schools in Mississippi. It also ranks 3^rd among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Picayune School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 40.16. (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 Student population at Nicholson Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (48.8%), African American (27.3%), two or more races (19%). (See more...)

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

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Nicholson Elementary School is 12.6, which is the lowest among 5 elementary schools in the Picayune School District! (See more...)

Compare Nicholson Elementary School employs 28.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Nicholson Elementary School is $10,851, which is the highest among 5 elementary schools in the Picayune School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Picayune School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Picayune School District 58^th of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Nicholson Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MS State Percentile
2008	43.09	242^nd	394	38.6%
2009	38.85	258^th	392	34.2%
2010	45.31	236^th	403	41.4%
2011	34.21	303^rd	418	27.5%
2012	42.10	247^th	414	40.3%
2013	31.21	309^th	408	24.3%
2014	31.65	303^rd	394	23.1%
2015	36.64	249^th	402	38.1%
2016	43.65	217^th	394	44.9%
2017	53.17	179^th	406	55.9%
2018	41.57	242^nd	404	40.1%
2019	47.46	213^th	397	46.3%
2021	36.61	233^rd	381	38.8%
2022	37.88	237^th	382	38.0%
2023	28.06	287^th	377	23.9%
2024	40.16	246^th	390	36.9%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Nicholson Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1990	398	164	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	564
1991	382	143	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	525
1992	409	146	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	556
1993	401	159	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	564
1994	393	161	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	558
1995	415	183	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	600
1996	415	183	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	600
1997	409	191	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	605
1998	326	145	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	471
1999	313	142	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	457
2000	345	161	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	512
2001	309	164	0	12	0	n/a	n/a	485
2002	264	126	4	7	0	n/a	n/a	401
2003	264	126	4	7	0	n/a	n/a	401
2004	278	129	5	18	0	n/a	n/a	430
2005	267	122	5	22	0	n/a	n/a	416
2006	275	138	4	18	0	n/a	n/a	435
2007	326	138	5	23	1	n/a	n/a	493
2008	305	172	5	27	0	n/a	n/a	509
2009	303	166	3	22	0	0	0	494
2010	294	159	3	35	1	0	15	507
2011	269	154	1	41	1	0	16	482
2012	225	135	1	35	0	0	13	409
2013	254	163	3	35	2	0	15	472
2014	256	163	4	39	2	0	13	477
2015	260	135	2	43	1	0	0	441
2016	237	125	1	42	0	0	2	407
2017	227	126	2	37	1	0	9	402
2018	223	128	2	34	2	0	15	404
2019	187	122	2	28	1	0	15	355
2020	201	112	2	27	3	0	28	373
2021	151	96	2	23	1	0	46	319
2022	179	82	3	23	1	0	51	339
2023	177	99	0	17	1	0	69	363

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 Nicholson Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	564	29.8	18.9	n/a
1991	525	27.8	18.8	n/a
1992	556	28.3	19.6	44.6
1993	564	27.5	20.5	45.2
1994	558	28.5	19.6	46.1
1995	600	30.1	19.9	48.5
1996	600	30.1	19.9	48.5
1997	605	30.7	19.7	49.6
1998	471	27.0	17.4	49.3
1999	457	28.2	16.2	55.4
2000	512	26.5	19.3	58
2001	485	24.5	19.8	58.6
2002	401	24.1	16.6	63.6
2003	401	24.1	16.6	63.6
2004	430	25.4	16.9	82.8
2005	416	25.3	16.4	78.6
2006	435	24.7	17.6	99.3
2007	493	28.0	17.6	83
2008	509	30.6	16.6	89.4
2009	494	31.9	15.5	90.3
2010	507	29.6	17.1	90.3
2011	482	28.5	16.9	89
2012	409	24.3	16.7	89.2
2013	472	28.9	16.3	90.3
2014	477	27.2	17.4	92.5
2015	441	28.0	15.7	100
2016	407	31.0	13.1	100
2017	402	29.3	13.7	100
2018	404	27.5	14.6	100
2019	355	25.2	14.0	100
2020	373	26.3	14.1	100
2021	319	25.5	12.4	100
2022	339	24.5	13.7	100
2023	363	28.7	12.6	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 Nicholson Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	564	29.8	18.9	n/a
1991	525	27.8	18.8	n/a
1992	556	28.3	19.6	44.6
1993	564	27.5	20.5	45.2
1994	558	28.5	19.6	46.1
1995	600	30.1	19.9	48.5
1996	600	30.1	19.9	48.5
1997	605	30.7	19.7	49.6
1998	471	27.0	17.4	49.3
1999	457	28.2	16.2	55.4
2000	512	26.5	19.3	58
2001	485	24.5	19.8	58.6
2002	401	24.1	16.6	63.6
2003	401	24.1	16.6	63.6
2004	430	25.4	16.9	82.8
2005	416	25.3	16.4	78.6
2006	435	24.7	17.6	99.3
2007	493	28.0	17.6	83
2008	509	30.6	16.6	89.4
2009	494	31.9	15.5	90.3
2010	507	29.6	17.1	90.3
2011	482	28.5	16.9	89
2012	409	24.3	16.7	89.2
2013	472	28.9	16.3	90.3
2014	477	27.2	17.4	92.5
2015	441	28.0	15.7	100
2016	407	31.0	13.1	100
2017	402	29.3	13.7	100
2018	404	27.5	14.6	100
2019	355	25.2	14.0	100
2020	373	26.3	14.1	100
2021	319	25.5	12.4	100
2022	339	24.5	13.7	100
2023	363	28.7	12.6	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 Nicholson Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$9,581
2018	$10,196
2019	$9,783
2020	$11,605
2021	$10,099
2022	$10,851

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Nicholson 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 213^th of 397 Elementary schools	Ranks 287^th of 377 Elementary schools	22.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Nicholson Elementary School)	41.3	47.1	5.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Picayune School District)	48	42.8	5.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.3	51.6	3.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Nicholson Elementary School)	47.8	31.4	16.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Picayune School District)	33.8	37.4	3.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	51.4	54.8	3.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Nicholson Elementary School)	44.6	39.4	5.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Picayune School District)	46.2	45.8	0.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.5	53.4	4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Nicholson Elementary School)	44.7	36.8	7.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Picayune School District)	45.1	43.5	1.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	48.8	56.7	7.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Nicholson Elementary School)	47.4	35.7	11.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Picayune School District)	44.3	47.1	2.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	43	51.9	8.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Nicholson Elementary School)	36.9	21.5	15.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Picayune School District)	32.1	33.8	1.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	38.9	44.3	5.4%
5th Grade Science (Nicholson Elementary School)	36.9	35.8	1.1%
5th Grade Science (Picayune School District)	46.1	48.5	2.4%
5th Grade Science (Mississippi)	55.9	64.3	8.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Nicholson Elementary School)	40	37.5	2.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Picayune School District)	36.9	41.2	4.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	33.6	40.3	6.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Nicholson Elementary School)	30.9	32.1	1.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Picayune School District)	41.6	42.5	0.9%
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	355	363	2.3%
African American	122	99	18.9%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	2	0	100%
Hispanic	28	17	39.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	187	177	5.3%
Two or More Races	15	69	360%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Nicholson 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
Nicholson Elementary School	Public	K-6	1887 Hwy 11 South	Picayune	39466	Pearl River County	Picayune School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 798-6309	363	29	12.6	100.0%	177 (48.8%)	99 (27.3%)	17 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	69 (19.0%)	40.2	246^th of 390 public elementary schools	36.9%		28.1	287^th of 377 public elementary schools	23.9%	41	50.9	42.6	39.4	35.6	62.8	27.8	48.5	40.0	69.7	$10,851
South Side Elementary School	Public	3-6	1500 Rosa Street	Picayune	39466	Pearl River County	Picayune School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 798-1105	298	20	14.8	100.0%	180 (60.4%)	100 (33.6%)	4 (1.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.4%)	72.1	101^st of 390 public elementary schools	74.1%		62.9	135^th of 377 public elementary schools	64.2%	34	61.8	65.8	52.2	57.9	54.3	68.4	55.0	66.2	82.8	$10,089
South Side Lower Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	400 South Beech Street	Picayune	39466	Pearl River County	Picayune School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 799-0683	335	21	16.1	100.0%	195 (58.2%)	115 (34.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (6.9%)								(n/a)										$9,400
West Side Elementary School	Public	K-6	111 Kirkwood Street	Picayune	39466	Pearl River County	Picayune School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 798-3625	427	28	15.3	100.0%	267 (62.5%)	118 (27.6%)	4 (0.9%)	7 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (7.3%)	46.8	213^th of 390 public elementary schools	45.4%		34.6	259^th of 377 public elementary schools	31.3%	46	62.7	54.3	64.7	30.8	25.4	34.2	43.2	61.5	64.7	$9,135
Roseland Park Elementary School	Public	K-6	1610 Gilcrease Street	Picayune	39466	Pearl River County	Picayune School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 798-6824	366	24	15.3	100.0%	218 (59.6%)	104 (28.4%)	3 (0.8%)	6 (1.6%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (9.0%)	36.4	257^th of 390 public elementary schools	34.1%		29.8	282^nd of 377 public elementary schools	25.2%	25	57.2	54.9	39.1	24.5	54.8	31.4	23.9	47.8	62.2	$10,680
West Hancock Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	23350 Highway 43	Picayune	39466	Pearl River County	Hancock County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 586-6054	341	30	11.4	99.1%	309 (90.6%)	10 (2.9%)	5 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.4%)	79.2	66^th of 390 public elementary schools	83.1%		76.3	73^rd of 377 public elementary schools	80.6%	7	68.8	70.3	57.9		68.8	64.8	73.7		80.7	$13,477
Pearl River Central Elementar	Public	PK, KG-5	116 Alphabet Ave	Carriere	39426	Pearl River County	Pearl River County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 799-4519	1,501	101	14.8	99.8%	1,286 (85.7%)	46 (3.1%)	30 (2.0%)	2 (0.1%)	8 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	129 (8.6%)	68.1	116^th of 390 public elementary schools	70.3%		63.8	129^th of 377 public elementary schools	65.8%	13	58.9	62.9	53.2		59.2	62.9	55.4		84.4	$8,723
Hancock North Central Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6122 Cuevas Town Road	Kiln	39556	Hancock County	Hancock County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 255-7641	400	31	12.8	99.3%	382 (95.5%)	3 (0.8%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.5%)	85.3	44^th of 390 public elementary schools	88.7%		87.1	31^st of 377 public elementary schools	91.8%	13	67.2	73.9	61.1		72.4	81.1	76.4		86.1	$12,409
East Hancock Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4221 Kiln Delisle Rd.	Kiln	39556	Hancock County	Hancock County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(228) 255-6637	639	45	14.1	99.5%	552 (86.4%)	28 (4.4%)	9 (1.4%)	12 (1.9%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (5.3%)	94.1	11^th of 390 public elementary schools	97.2%		88.9	25^th of 377 public elementary schools	93.4%	14	87.0	74.3	77.7		88.8	84.9	87.2		90.5	$10,638

Frequently Asked Questions about Nicholson Elementary School

What district is Nicholson Elementary School in?

Picayune School District

What is the racial makeup of Nicholson Elementary School?

Students at Nicholson Elementary School are 49% White, 27% African American, 19% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic.

How many students attend Nicholson Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 363 students attended Nicholson Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Nicholson Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Nicholson Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Picayune Junior High School
High : Picayune Memorial High School

Is Nicholson Elementary School a good school?

Nicholson Elementary School ranks 246^th of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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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.