South Side Elementary School

Q: Is South Side Elementary School a good school?

South Side Elementary School ranks 101 st of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

South Side Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades 3-6 in the Picayune School District in Picayune, Mississippi, with a student population of 298 that is predominantly White (60.4%) and African American (33.56%).

South Side Elementary consistently outperforms the Picayune School District and the state of Mississippi in standardized test scores, with 61.8% of 3rd graders proficient or better in English Language Arts compared to 58.7% for the district and 57.7% for the state, and 68.4% of 4th graders proficient or better in Math compared to 42.7% for the district and 55% for the state. The school also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio ranging from 14.8 to 17.5 over the past three years, lower than nearby Nicholson Elementary and Roseland Park Elementary. However, like other schools in the Picayune School District, South Side Elementary has a 100% free/reduced lunch rate, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

While South Side Elementary has maintained a consistent 3-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past several years, the Hancock County School District just outside of Picayune consistently outperforms South Side and the Picayune School District, with schools like East Hancock Elementary ranking 11th in the state and having significantly higher proficiency rates in core subjects. South Side Elementary could potentially benefit from further analysis and targeted interventions to address areas where it underperforms compared to the top-performing schools in the region.

Detail:

Public 3-6

1500 Rosa Street
Picayune, MS 39466

(601) 798-1105

District: Picayune School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
101^st of 390 Mississippi Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,089

Students who attend South Side Elementary School usually attend:

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

Student/teacher ratio: 17.1

Number of students: 313

Racial breakdown:

White:

62.9%

African American:

30.7%

Two or more races:

4.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated Mississippi elementary schools

Compare South Side Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Side Elementary School ranks better than 74.1% of elementary schools in Mississippi. It also ranks first among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Picayune School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 72.08. (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 (62.9%), African American (30.7%), two or more races (4.8%). (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 South Side Elementary School is 17.1, which is the highest among 7 elementary schools in the Picayune School District! (See more...)

Compare South Side Elementary School employs 18.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Side Elementary School is $10,089. 3 elementary schools in the Picayune School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

South Side 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.)

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Your rating for South Side Elementary School?

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Rank History for South Side Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MS State Percentile
2008	35.31	270^th	394	31.5%
2009	42.91	238^th	392	39.3%
2010	43.28	245^th	403	39.2%
2011	37.69	286^th	418	31.6%
2012	40.14	258^th	414	37.7%
2013	42.61	248^th	408	39.2%
2014	49.28	210^th	394	46.7%
2015	51.66	174^th	402	56.7%
2016	57.01	166^th	394	57.9%
2017	54.39	174^th	406	57.1%
2018	59.86	155^th	404	61.6%
2019	60.87	150^th	397	62.2%
2022	53.91	168^th	382	56.0%
2023	62.87	135^th	377	64.2%
2024	72.08	101^st	390	74.1%

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 South Side Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1990	533	231	2	0	3	n/a	n/a	769
1991	535	220	3	0	2	n/a	n/a	760
1992	478	247	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	729
1993	486	217	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	703
1994	310	119	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	429
1995	295	119	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	416
1996	295	119	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	416
1997	277	109	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	388
1998	265	97	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	362
1999	281	99	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	381
2000	283	97	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	381
2001	270	111	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	383
2002	242	141	0	6	2	n/a	n/a	391
2003	242	141	0	6	2	n/a	n/a	391
2004	225	149	0	8	1	n/a	n/a	383
2005	205	136	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	346
2006	189	120	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	309
2007	216	119	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	339
2008	205	110	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	317
2009	170	106	0	5	1	0	0	282
2010	146	102	1	3	1	0	5	258
2011	168	99	1	8	3	0	4	283
2012	172	114	1	7	4	0	8	306
2013	169	98	0	3	2	0	13	285
2014	179	91	0	3	2	0	9	284
2015	196	87	0	7	0	0	0	290
2016	198	88	0	4	2	0	0	292
2017	188	111	0	2	1	0	2	304
2018	185	124	0	2	1	0	10	322
2019	177	127	0	3	1	0	8	316
2020	153	121	0	7	0	0	6	287
2021	150	97	1	7	1	0	13	269
2022	176	98	2	5	1	0	10	292
2023	180	100	1	4	0	0	13	298
2024	197	96	1	2	2	0	15	313

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 South Side Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	769	42.2	18.2	n/a
1991	760	39.4	19.2	n/a
1992	729	39.2	18.5	44.7
1993	703	37.7	18.6	45.1
1994	429	20.4	21.0	45.9
1995	416	21.1	19.7	48.3
1996	416	21.1	19.7	48.3
1997	388	21.1	18.4	49.5
1998	362	21.6	16.8	49.2
1999	381	20.3	18.8	55.4
2000	381	18.5	20.6	58
2001	383	20.2	19.0	58.7
2002	391	21.2	18.4	63.4
2003	391	21.2	18.4	63.4
2004	383	22.1	17.3	69.2
2005	346	21.8	15.9	79.2
2006	309	16.4	18.8	99
2007	339	16.8	20.2	72.6
2008	317	15.9	19.9	77.3
2009	282	15.0	18.8	72.3
2010	258	13.8	18.6	76.7
2011	283	13.9	20.3	81.6
2012	306	17.4	17.5	80.4
2013	285	15.0	18.9	78.9
2014	284	15.7	17.9	78.5
2015	290	19.0	15.2	100
2016	292	16.0	18.2	100
2017	304	15.2	19.8	100
2018	322	16.6	19.3	100
2019	316	18.0	17.5	100
2020	287	16.5	17.3	100
2021	269	17.3	15.5	100
2022	292	16.6	17.5	100
2023	298	20.1	14.8	100
2024	313	18.2	17.1	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 South Side Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	769	42.2	18.2	n/a
1991	760	39.4	19.2	n/a
1992	729	39.2	18.5	44.7
1993	703	37.7	18.6	45.1
1994	429	20.4	21.0	45.9
1995	416	21.1	19.7	48.3
1996	416	21.1	19.7	48.3
1997	388	21.1	18.4	49.5
1998	362	21.6	16.8	49.2
1999	381	20.3	18.8	55.4
2000	381	18.5	20.6	58
2001	383	20.2	19.0	58.7
2002	391	21.2	18.4	63.4
2003	391	21.2	18.4	63.4
2004	383	22.1	17.3	69.2
2005	346	21.8	15.9	79.2
2006	309	16.4	18.8	99
2007	339	16.8	20.2	72.6
2008	317	15.9	19.9	77.3
2009	282	15.0	18.8	72.3
2010	258	13.8	18.6	76.7
2011	283	13.9	20.3	81.6
2012	306	17.4	17.5	80.4
2013	285	15.0	18.9	78.9
2014	284	15.7	17.9	78.5
2015	290	19.0	15.2	100
2016	292	16.0	18.2	100
2017	304	15.2	19.8	100
2018	322	16.6	19.3	100
2019	316	18.0	17.5	100
2020	287	16.5	17.3	100
2021	269	17.3	15.5	100
2022	292	16.6	17.5	100
2023	298	20.1	14.8	100
2024	313	18.2	17.1	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 South Side Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$7,700
2018	$7,990
2019	$8,507
2020	$9,737
2021	$8,869
2022	$10,089

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Side 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 150^th of 397 Elementary schools	Ranks 135^th of 377 Elementary schools	2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Side Elementary School)	57.4	44.6	12.8%
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 (South Side Elementary School)	27.9	52.7	24.8%
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 (South Side Elementary School)	47.3	57.5	10.2%
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 (South Side Elementary School)	67.1	58.8	8.3%
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 (South Side Elementary School)	39.5	60.9	21.4%
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 (South Side Elementary School)	31	37.6	6.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Picayune School District)	32.1	33.8	1.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	38.9	44.3	5.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (South Side Elementary School)	41.9	49.3	7.4%
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 (South Side Elementary School)	57	61.3	4.3%
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	316	298	5.7%
African American	127	100	21.3%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	3	4	33.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	177	180	1.7%
Two or More Races	8	13	62.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near South Side 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
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	313	18	17.1	100.0%	197 (62.9%)	96 (30.7%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.8%)	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	340	22	15.7	100.0%	191 (56.2%)	123 (36.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (7.4%)								(n/a)										$9,400
Early Head Start Rosa Street	Public	PK	1620 Rosa Street	Picayune	39466	Pearl River County	Picayune School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 799-4702	151	23	6.6	100.0%	42 (27.8%)	90 (59.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (11.9%)								(n/a)										$47,825
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	419	28	15.1	100.0%	274 (65.4%)	99 (23.6%)	2 (0.5%)	7 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (8.8%)	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	368	26	14.0	100.0%	201 (54.6%)	114 (31.0%)	2 (0.5%)	8 (2.2%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (10.9%)	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
Early Head Start Nicholson	Public	PK	1865 Hwy 11 South	Picayune	39466	Pearl River County	Picayune School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 798-7808	196	17	11.4	100.0%	85 (43.4%)	88 (44.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (11.7%)								(n/a)										$3,002
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	30	11.9	100.0%	164 (45.2%)	108 (29.8%)	7 (1.9%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	80 (22.0%)	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
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	1,491	103	14.5	66.3%	1,279 (85.8%)	40 (2.7%)	39 (2.6%)	4 (0.3%)	6 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	123 (8.2%)	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
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	363	31	11.6	62.8%	323 (89.0%)	10 (2.8%)	6 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.8%)	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
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	418	31	13.6	55.5%	399 (95.5%)	4 (1.0%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.4%)	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

Frequently Asked Questions about South Side Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of South Side Elementary School?

Students at South Side Elementary School are 63% White, 31% African American, 5% Two or more races.

What district is South Side Elementary School in?

Picayune School District

Is South Side Elementary School a good school?

South Side Elementary School ranks 101^st of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend South Side Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 313 students attended South Side Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of South Side Elementary School attend?

Students who attend South Side Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Picayune Junior High School
High : Picayune Memorial 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.