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Below Average

#779 of 863 schools in MS

Poplar Springs Elementary School

Elementary School · Meridian Public Schools · Meridian, MS

A Meridian Public Schools elementary school serving grades Kindergarten – 5th.

4101 27TH AVE., Meridian, MS 39305

  • Math 33% vs MS 53% (2025)
  • Reading 45% vs MS 53% (2025)
  • 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress1.8Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data16
Annual Change-3.13 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.5Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency32.7% (2025 MAAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency44.9% (2025 MAAP)
Math vs. State Avg-21 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-4.9 pts
Overall Proficiency39% (2025 MAAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)40% (model expectation from 2025 MAAP)
vs. Expected-0.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile38th
Resources & Environment7.9Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.6:1
District spending per student$14,308
Chronic Absenteeism23.8%

Students at Poplar Springs Elementary School score 39% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 40%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MAAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MS average.

Math Proficiency33%(2025 MAAP)
School
State
53%(2025 MAAP)
ELA Proficiency45%(2025 MAAP)
School
State
53%(2025 MAAP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 14 points since 2020, reaching 39% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
79%
ELA
58%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
71%
2011
Math
82%
ELA
69%
2012
Math
85%
ELA
67%
2013
Math
84%
ELA
73%
2014
Math
51%
ELA
42%
2015
Math
44%
ELA
40%
2016
Math
51%
ELA
39%
2017
Math
42%
ELA
41%
2018
Math
57%
ELA
49%
2019
Math
57%
ELA
49%
2020*
Math
17%
ELA
32%
2021*
Math
17%
ELA
32%
2022
Math
20%
ELA
40%
2025
Math
33%
ELA
45%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 51% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 49% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 35 test records from MS state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

100%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Poplar Springs Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 39Car-Dependent
  • Bike 23Somewhat Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$65,242

Median home value

$185,600

Median rent

$1,016/mo

College educated

34.8%

Homeownership

66.4%

Poverty rate

21.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 39305; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
West Hills Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.5K–51.1 mi428Compare →
Parkview Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.1K–51.4 mi379Compare →
The Pentecostal Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition7.2privatePK–122.1 mi73Compare →
Lamar SchoolPrivate · tuition6.5privatePK–122.6 mi569Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Meridian Public Schools

Schools in district
11
Rank in district
#6 of 7
District spending per student
$14,308NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
37.9%Census SAIPE · 2024

Poplar Springs Elementary School is listed in MERIDIAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Poplar Springs Elementary School

Poplar Springs Elementary School is a public elementary school in Meridian, MS, part of Meridian Public Schools, serving approximately 382 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.1 out of 10 and ranks #779 of 863 schools in MS. State assessment records show 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 49% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Poplar Springs Elementary School

What grades does Poplar Springs Elementary School serve?

Poplar Springs Elementary School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Poplar Springs Elementary School?

Poplar Springs Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 382 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Poplar Springs Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Poplar Springs Elementary School is 13.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Poplar Springs Elementary School rank in MS?

Poplar Springs Elementary School ranks #779 of 863 schools in MS.

What is Poplar Springs Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Poplar Springs Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.1 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Poplar Springs Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Poplar Springs Elementary School has 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 49% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Poplar Springs Elementary School a charter school?

No, Poplar Springs Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Poplar Springs Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Poplar Springs Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Poplar Springs Elementary School?

100.0% of students at Poplar Springs Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
382
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
28
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Town
County
Lauderdale County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
23.8%
Area population (ZIP 39305)
21,878
Area average commute
25.8 min
Area median age
37.7
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 MAAP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 MAAP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 MAAP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 MAAP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 39305; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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