R H Bearden Elementary School

Summary:

R H Bearden Elementary School is a public elementary school in Sumner, Mississippi, serving 253 students in grades K-6 as part of the West Tallahatchie School District. The school faces significant academic challenges, with consistently low performance on state assessments and a ranking in the bottom quartile of Mississippi elementary schools.

R H Bearden Elementary School has an overwhelmingly African American student population, with over 98% of students identifying as African American. This is significantly higher than the state average and the nearby schools, such as Ruleville Central Elementary, Lyon Elementary, and A.W. James Elementary, which have more diverse student populations. The school also has an extremely high rate of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, with 100% of students qualifying in the past three school years, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Despite the school's relatively high spending per student, at $11,492 in the 2018-2019 school year, R H Bearden Elementary School has consistently performed poorly on state assessments, with proficiency rates well below the state and district averages in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. This trend has persisted for several years, suggesting a need for significant academic interventions and support to address the root causes of the school's underperformance compared to nearby schools and the state as a whole.

Detail:

Public K-6

6442 Friendship Road West
Sumner, MS 38957

(662) 375-9205

District: West Tallahatchie School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
344^th of 390 Mississippi Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,184

Students who attend R H Bearden Elementary School usually attend:

High:

West Tallahatchie High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.4

Number of students: 253

Racial breakdown:

African American:

98.4%

White:

0.8%

Two or more races:

0.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details R H Bearden Elementary School ranks worse than 88.2% of elementary schools in Mississippi. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.2. (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 (98.4%), two or more races (0.8%), White (0.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at R H Bearden Elementary School is 11.4. (See more...)

Compare R H Bearden Elementary School employs 22.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at R H Bearden Elementary School is $17,184.

Schooldigger Rankings:

R H Bearden Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

West Tallahatchie School District:

SchoolDigger ranks West Tallahatchie School District 115^th of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for R H Bearden Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MS State Percentile
2008	13.84	365^th	394	7.4%
2009	7.15	389^th	392	0.8%
2010	10.05	388^th	403	3.7%
2011	18.15	384^th	418	8.1%
2012	24.57	348^th	414	15.9%
2013	27.25	324^th	408	20.6%
2014	36.26	268^th	394	32.0%
2015	39.44	233^rd	402	42.0%
2016	33.60	255^th	394	35.3%
2017	24.65	314^th	406	22.7%
2018	24.26	317^th	404	21.5%
2019	19.98	330^th	397	16.9%
2021	8.30	374^th	381	1.8%
2022	9.32	363^rd	382	5.0%
2023	11.71	353^rd	377	6.4%
2024	16.20	344^th	390	11.8%

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 R H Bearden Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1990	24	558	2	0	n/a	n/a	584
1991	10	596	2	0	n/a	n/a	608
1992	5	524	1	3	n/a	n/a	533
1993	3	545	0	0	n/a	n/a	548
1994	1	550	0	0	n/a	n/a	551
1995	0	501	0	1	n/a	n/a	502
1996	0	501	0	1	n/a	n/a	502
1997	0	576	0	0	n/a	n/a	576
1998	2	353	0	0	n/a	n/a	355
1999	3	649	0	0	n/a	n/a	652
2000	3	842	0	2	n/a	n/a	847
2001	5	823	0	4	n/a	n/a	832
2002	2	673	2	1	n/a	n/a	678
2003	2	673	2	1	n/a	n/a	678
2004	2	624	2	1	n/a	n/a	629
2005	4	578	1	1	n/a	n/a	584
2006	0	546	0	1	n/a	n/a	547
2007	0	502	0	1	n/a	n/a	503
2008	0	465	0	0	n/a	n/a	465
2009	0	497	1	0	0	0	498
2010	0	495	0	0	0	0	495
2011	0	443	0	0	0	0	443
2012	0	434	0	0	0	0	434
2013	0	454	0	0	0	0	454
2014	1	456	0	0	0	1	458
2015	5	490	0	0	0	2	497
2016	0	478	0	0	0	2	480
2017	3	455	0	0	0	1	459
2018	6	433	0	0	0	2	441
2019	2	410	0	0	0	4	416
2020	2	367	0	0	0	5	374
2021	2	320	0	0	0	1	323
2022	1	278	0	0	0	1	280
2023	2	249	0	0	0	2	253

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 R H Bearden Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	584	30.8	18.9	n/a
1991	608	30.2	20.1	n/a
1992	533	28.8	18.5	93.2
1993	548	30.4	18.0	92.9
1994	551	29.2	18.9	91.7
1995	502	26.0	19.3	92.4
1996	502	26.0	19.3	92.4
1997	576	28.8	20.0	92.7
1998	355	17.9	19.8	93.5
1999	652	34.0	19.2	94.9
2000	847	40.3	21.0	96.5
2001	832	42.4	19.6	97.6
2002	678	35.6	19.0	99.6
2003	678	35.6	19.0	99.6
2004	629	30.1	20.9	99.5
2005	584	38.7	15.1	98.3
2006	547	35.6	15.4	99.5
2007	503	33.6	15.0	99.2
2008	465	30.0	15.5	99.4
2009	498	27.2	18.3	99.4
2010	495	23.0	21.4	98.8
2011	443	25.7	17.1	98.6
2012	434	27.8	15.5	99.1
2013	454	26.5	17.1	99.3
2014	458	28.3	16.1	99.3
2015	497	31.0	16.0	99.4
2016	480	32.0	15.0	99.4
2017	459	31.0	14.7	99.3
2018	441	33.5	13.1	99.3
2019	416	28.9	14.3	99.3
2020	374	22.6	16.5	99.2
2021	323	19.5	16.4	99.1
2022	280	22.1	12.6	100
2023	253	22.1	11.4	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 R H Bearden Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	584	30.8	18.9	n/a
1991	608	30.2	20.1	n/a
1992	533	28.8	18.5	93.2
1993	548	30.4	18.0	92.9
1994	551	29.2	18.9	91.7
1995	502	26.0	19.3	92.4
1996	502	26.0	19.3	92.4
1997	576	28.8	20.0	92.7
1998	355	17.9	19.8	93.5
1999	652	34.0	19.2	94.9
2000	847	40.3	21.0	96.5
2001	832	42.4	19.6	97.6
2002	678	35.6	19.0	99.6
2003	678	35.6	19.0	99.6
2004	629	30.1	20.9	99.5
2005	584	38.7	15.1	98.3
2006	547	35.6	15.4	99.5
2007	503	33.6	15.0	99.2
2008	465	30.0	15.5	99.4
2009	498	27.2	18.3	99.4
2010	495	23.0	21.4	98.8
2011	443	25.7	17.1	98.6
2012	434	27.8	15.5	99.1
2013	454	26.5	17.1	99.3
2014	458	28.3	16.1	99.3
2015	497	31.0	16.0	99.4
2016	480	32.0	15.0	99.4
2017	459	31.0	14.7	99.3
2018	441	33.5	13.1	99.3
2019	416	28.9	14.3	99.3
2020	374	22.6	16.5	99.2
2021	323	19.5	16.4	99.1
2022	280	22.1	12.6	100
2023	253	22.1	11.4	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 R H Bearden Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$10,202
2018	$11,492
2019	$12,036
2020	$11,812
2021	$15,465
2022	$17,184

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on R H Bearden 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 330^th of 397 Elementary schools	Ranks 353^rd of 377 Elementary schools	10.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (R H Bearden Elementary School)	15.2	17.4	2.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (West Tallahatchie School District)	15.2	17.4	2.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.3	51.6	3.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (R H Bearden Elementary School)	18.4	39.1	20.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (West Tallahatchie School District)	18.4	39.1	20.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	51.4	54.8	3.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (R H Bearden Elementary School)	31.8	29.1	2.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (West Tallahatchie School District)	31.8	29.1	2.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.5	53.4	4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (R H Bearden Elementary School)	42.8	41.9	0.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (West Tallahatchie School District)	42.8	41.9	0.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	48.8	56.7	7.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (R H Bearden Elementary School)	25	34.1	9.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (West Tallahatchie School District)	25	34.1	9.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	43	51.9	8.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (R H Bearden Elementary School)	12.5	12.2	0.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (West Tallahatchie School District)	12.5	12.2	0.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	38.9	44.3	5.4%
5th Grade Science (R H Bearden Elementary School)	51.6	26.8	24.8%
5th Grade Science (West Tallahatchie School District)	51.6	26.8	24.8%
5th Grade Science (Mississippi)	55.9	64.3	8.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (R H Bearden Elementary School)	12.3	2	10.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (West Tallahatchie School District)	12.3	2	10.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	33.6	40.3	6.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (R H Bearden Elementary School)	15.4	2	13.4%
6th Grade Mathematics (West Tallahatchie School District)	15.4	2	13.4%
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	416	253	39.2%
African American	410	249	39.3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	0	0
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	2	2
Two or More Races	4	2	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	99.3%	100%	0.7%

Schools Near R H Bearden 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
R H Bearden Elementary School	Public	K-6	6442 Friendship Road West	Sumner	38957	Tallahatchie County	West Tallahatchie School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 375-9205	253	22	11.4	100.0%	2 (0.8%)	249 (98.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	16.2	344^th of 390 public elementary schools	11.8%		11.7	353^rd of 377 public elementary schools	6.4%	9	26.0	25.0	18.5	21.4	20.0	25.1	29.6	57.1	37.0	$17,184
A W James Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	400 South Blvd	Drew	38737	Sunflower County	Sunflower City Cons School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 745-8892	211	19	11.2	100.0%	1 (0.5%)	199 (94.3%)	6 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.4%)	55.4	175^th of 390 public elementary schools	55.1%		44.3	209^th of 377 public elementary schools	44.6%	34	57.7	26.1	53.5		77.8	60.8	57.1		60.7	$13,971
Quitman County Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	1018 10th Street	Lambert	38643	Quitman County	Quitman County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 326-7186	365	30	12.3	100.0%	13 (3.6%)	345 (94.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.9%)	57.9	166^th of 390 public elementary schools	57.4%		37.3	248^th of 377 public elementary schools	34.2%	82	46.3	50.0			68.8	67.8				$12,154
Charleston Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	412 E. Chestnut St.	Charleston	38921	Tallahatchie County	East Tallahatchie Consol School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 647-2679	305	25	12.3	100.0%	49 (16.1%)	246 (80.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.3%)	10.9	365^th of 390 public elementary schools	6.4%		11.2	356^th of 377 public elementary schools	5.6%	9	16.1	41.4			12.5	24.1				$13,254
Lyon Elementary School	Public	K-6	2020 Roberson Road	Lyon	38645	Coahoma County	Coahoma County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 624-8544	209	19	11.2	100.0%	7 (3.3%)	201 (96.2%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22.5	317^th of 390 public elementary schools	18.7%		30.8	275^th of 377 public elementary schools	27.1%	42	26.8	41.0	31.2	26.3	48.8	46.2	18.7	31.6	43.8	$14,410
Geo H Oliver Visual/Perf. Arts	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-4	871 Ritchie Avenue	Clarksdale	38614	Coahoma County	Clarksdale Municipal School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(662) 627-8605	241	14	17.1	100.0%	3 (1.2%)	228 (94.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.7%)	10	369^th of 390 public elementary schools	5.4%					(n/a)	21.9	42.1			12.4	29.0				$13,668
Booker T Washington Intern. Studies	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-4	1806 Sunflower	Clarksdale	38614	Coahoma County	Clarksdale Municipal School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(662) 627-8567	183	13	13.7	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	182 (99.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	7.9	378^th of 390 public elementary schools	3.1%		13.7	342^nd of 377 public elementary schools	9.3%	36	7.2	34.8			7.2	34.7				$15,494
Ruleville Central Elementary School	Public	K-5	410 L F Packer Drive	Ruleville	38771	Sunflower County	Sunflower City Cons School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 756-4276	269	20	13.4	100.0%	6 (2.2%)	259 (96.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.5%)	21.2	321^st of 390 public elementary schools	17.7%		39.1	234^th of 377 public elementary schools	37.9%	87	32.6	29.4	27.8		32.6	33.3	44.4		63.9	$11,625

Frequently Asked Questions about R H Bearden Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of R H Bearden Elementary School?

Students at R H Bearden Elementary School are 98% African American.

How many students attend R H Bearden Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 253 students attended R H Bearden Elementary School.

What district is R H Bearden Elementary School in?

West Tallahatchie School District

Is R H Bearden Elementary School a good school?

R H Bearden Elementary School ranks in the bottom 11.8% of Mississippi elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of R H Bearden Elementary School attend?

Students who attend R H Bearden Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : West Tallahatchie 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.