West Jones Elementary School

Q: Is West Jones Elementary School a good school?

West Jones Elementary School ranks 161 st of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

West Jones Elementary School is a public elementary school in Laurel, Mississippi, serving 1,022 students in grades PK-6 as part of the Jones County School District. This high-performing school consistently outperforms the district and state in standardized test scores, particularly in English Language Arts and Science.

With a relatively low student-teacher ratio ranging from 13.4 to 15.1, West Jones Elementary School stands out among its peers. However, the school faces the challenge of serving a student population with an extremely high poverty rate, as nearly all students (99.7%) qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This suggests the school may need to allocate additional resources and implement targeted strategies to address the academic and social-emotional needs of its economically disadvantaged students.

Compared to nearby schools, West Jones Elementary School generally outperforms other elementary schools in the Jones County School District, as well as some schools in the neighboring Covington County School District. For example, Moselle Elementary School has similar demographic characteristics but slightly lower test scores and a lower school ranking. In contrast, Seminary Elementary School in Covington County has a significantly different student population, with a much higher percentage of White students and lower percentage of economically disadvantaged students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

5652 Highway 84 West
Laurel, MS 39443

(601) 439-4823

District: Jones County School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
161^st of 390 Mississippi Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,095

Students who attend West Jones Elementary School usually attend:

High:

West Jones High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.6

Number of students: 1,071

Racial breakdown:

White:

54.3%

Hispanic:

17.9%

African American:

16.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 68.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details West Jones Elementary School ranks better than 58.7% of elementary schools in Mississippi. It also ranks 5^th among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Jones County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 58.57. (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 West Jones Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Jones County School District. Student population at West Jones Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (54.3%), Hispanic (17.9%), African American (16.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 68.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West Jones Elementary School is 13.6. 4 elementary schools in the Jones County School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare West Jones Elementary School employs 78.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Jones Elementary School is $9,095. 4 elementary schools in the Jones County School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Jones County School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Jones County School District 39^th of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for West Jones Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MS State Percentile
2008	74.89	86^th	394	78.2%
2009	68.95	112^th	392	71.4%
2010	66.80	127^th	403	68.5%
2011	61.57	165^th	418	60.5%
2012	64.92	144^th	414	65.2%
2013	58.87	163^rd	408	60.0%
2014	61.75	153^rd	394	61.2%
2015	52.09	168^th	402	58.2%
2016	65.12	136^th	394	65.5%
2017	73.04	99^th	406	75.6%
2018	66.10	131^st	404	67.6%
2019	65.31	133^rd	397	66.5%
2021	68.70	112^th	381	70.6%
2022	61.76	148^th	382	61.3%
2023	58.21	150^th	377	60.2%
2024	58.57	161^st	390	58.7%

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:

by a parent
Saturday, August 19, 2017

Wonderful school with amazing teachers!!! Close Quote

Enrollment information for West Jones Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2001	692	213	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	910
2002	661	200	1	11	1	n/a	n/a	874
2003	661	200	1	11	1	n/a	n/a	874
2004	673	188	1	8	1	n/a	n/a	871
2005	660	182	0	16	0	n/a	n/a	858
2006	699	187	0	25	0	n/a	n/a	911
2007	739	183	4	44	0	n/a	n/a	970
2008	746	194	1	57	0	n/a	n/a	998
2009	725	172	9	64	0	0	0	970
2010	727	184	9	86	0	0	1	1007
2011	748	189	6	87	0	0	0	1030
2012	731	184	7	134	1	0	11	1068
2013	704	182	6	150	0	0	16	1058
2014	695	192	4	140	1	0	35	1067
2015	679	184	7	163	0	0	41	1074
2016	682	176	7	185	0	0	39	1089
2017	647	158	5	205	0	0	46	1061
2018	620	164	9	198	2	0	52	1045
2019	636	152	9	214	2	0	61	1074
2020	637	149	11	224	2	0	67	1090
2021	508	153	10	211	0	0	55	937
2022	543	161	10	215	0	0	77	1006
2023	560	163	5	200	0	0	94	1022
2024	582	179	5	192	0	0	113	1071

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 West Jones Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	910	50.8	17.9	57.5
2002	874	44.8	19.5	58.4
2003	874	44.8	19.5	58.4
2004	871	45.4	19.2	58.9
2005	858	47.0	18.3	59.2
2006	911	46.0	19.8	69.7
2007	970	50.2	19.3	59.8
2008	998	52.1	19.2	61.8
2009	970	53.0	18.3	65.2
2010	1007	54.9	18.3	68.7
2011	1030	56.1	18.3	66
2012	1068	58.8	18.1	68.3
2013	1058	59.0	17.9	70
2014	1067	57.4	18.5	71.4
2015	1074	57.0	18.8	69.8
2016	1089	60.0	18.1	69.4
2017	1061	59.2	17.8	69.2
2018	1045	59.1	17.6	67.3
2019	1074	59.9	17.9	66.9
2020	1090	60.6	17.9	66.9
2021	937	64.3	14.5	99.7
2022	1006	66.4	15.1	99.7
2023	1022	76.0	13.4	99.7
2024	1071	78.6	13.6	68.2

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 West Jones Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	910	50.8	17.9	57.5
2002	874	44.8	19.5	58.4
2003	874	44.8	19.5	58.4
2004	871	45.4	19.2	58.9
2005	858	47.0	18.3	59.2
2006	911	46.0	19.8	69.7
2007	970	50.2	19.3	59.8
2008	998	52.1	19.2	61.8
2009	970	53.0	18.3	65.2
2010	1007	54.9	18.3	68.7
2011	1030	56.1	18.3	66
2012	1068	58.8	18.1	68.3
2013	1058	59.0	17.9	70
2014	1067	57.4	18.5	71.4
2015	1074	57.0	18.8	69.8
2016	1089	60.0	18.1	69.4
2017	1061	59.2	17.8	69.2
2018	1045	59.1	17.6	67.3
2019	1074	59.9	17.9	66.9
2020	1090	60.6	17.9	66.9
2021	937	64.3	14.5	99.7
2022	1006	66.4	15.1	99.7
2023	1022	76.0	13.4	99.7
2024	1071	78.6	13.6	68.2

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 West Jones Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$6,366
2018	$6,557
2019	$6,808
2020	$8,356
2021	$8,208
2022	$9,095

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on West Jones 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 133^rd of 397 Elementary schools	Ranks 150^th of 377 Elementary schools	6.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (West Jones Elementary School)	51.2	60.3	9.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Jones County School District)	48.1	51.8	3.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.3	51.6	3.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (West Jones Elementary School)	55.1	67	11.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Jones County School District)	56.3	64.2	7.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	51.4	54.8	3.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (West Jones Elementary School)	60.4	56.5	3.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Jones County School District)	56.1	49.2	6.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.5	53.4	4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (West Jones Elementary School)	40.3	32.6	7.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Jones County School District)	50.5	52.3	1.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	48.8	56.7	7.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (West Jones Elementary School)	53.5	59.3	5.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Jones County School District)	48.3	54.4	6.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	43	51.9	8.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (West Jones Elementary School)	41.7	31.6	10.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Jones County School District)	37.2	36.8	0.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	38.9	44.3	5.4%
5th Grade Science (West Jones Elementary School)	70	70
5th Grade Science (Jones County School District)	63.8	65.2	1.4%
5th Grade Science (Mississippi)	55.9	64.3	8.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (West Jones Elementary School)	35.2	48.9	13.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Jones County School District)	41.6	43.2	1.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	33.6	40.3	6.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (West Jones Elementary School)	51	40.1	10.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Jones County School District)	50.6	49.1	1.5%
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	1074	1022	4.8%
African American	152	163	7.2%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	9	5	44.4%
Hispanic	214	200	6.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	636	560	11.9%
Two or More Races	61	94	54.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	66.9%	99.7%	32.8%

Schools Near West Jones 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
West Jones Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	5652 Highway 84 West	Laurel	39443	Jones County	Jones County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 439-4823	1,071	79	13.6	68.2%	582 (54.3%)	179 (16.7%)	192 (17.9%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	113 (10.6%)	58.6	161^st of 390 public elementary schools	58.7%		58.2	150^th of 377 public elementary schools	60.2%	11	65.0	53.9	58.0	40.8	59.3	42.1	55.4	38.7	78.0	$9,095
South Jones Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	27 Warrior Road	Ellisville	39437	Jones County	Jones County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 477-3577	1,068	77	13.9	64.6%	747 (69.9%)	193 (18.1%)	61 (5.7%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (5.9%)	66	134^th of 390 public elementary schools	65.6%		57.4	154^th of 377 public elementary schools	59.2%	20	57.8	58.7	47.3	34.5	64.9	67.8	64.8	65.5	78.4	$8,951
Oak Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-1	1205 Oak Park Avenue	Laurel	39440	Jones County	Laurel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 428-5046	427	36	11.9	100.0%	2 (0.5%)	346 (81.0%)	50 (11.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.8%)								(n/a)										$10,777
Laurel Magnet School Of The Arts	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	1125 North 5th Avenue	Laurel	39440	Jones County	Laurel School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(601) 428-7446	334	25	13.3	100.0%	19 (5.7%)	287 (85.9%)	9 (2.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.4%)	97	3^rd of 390 public elementary schools	99.2%		93.2	12^th of 377 public elementary schools	96.8%	9	86.9	95.4	82.2	65.7	89.2	95.5	86.7	94.7	93.4	$11,243
Nora Davis Elementary School	Public	2-4	1305 Martin Luther King Ave	Laurel	39440	Jones County	Laurel School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(601) 438-3140	506	34	14.8	100.0%	7 (1.4%)	404 (79.8%)	82 (16.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.2%)	9	372^nd of 390 public elementary schools	4.6%					(n/a)	27.1	28.8			14.3	30.6
North Jones Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	650 Trace Road	Laurel	39443	Jones County	Jones County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 426-6632	833	62	13.4	81.6%	321 (38.5%)	307 (36.9%)	146 (17.5%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (6.5%)	48.9	209^th of 390 public elementary schools	46.4%		49.6	186^th of 377 public elementary schools	50.7%	23	50.0	44.5	49.1	48.0	37.8	41.2	42.2	66.3	76.8	$9,107
Glade Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	990 Highway 15 South	Laurel	39443	Jones County	Jones County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 428-4265	421	35	12.1	78.1%	299 (71.0%)	79 (18.8%)	12 (2.9%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.7%)	69	113^th of 390 public elementary schools	71.0%		59.8	146^th of 377 public elementary schools	61.3%	33	71.2	63.8	61.7	39.0	88.4	62.1	68.3	32.2	75.0	$9,532
East Jones Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	108 Northeast Drive	Laurel	39443	Jones County	Jones County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 425-9799	782	61	12.8	74.6%	527 (67.4%)	134 (17.1%)	23 (2.9%)	5 (0.6%)	35 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (7.4%)	64	140^th of 390 public elementary schools	64.1%		58	153^rd of 377 public elementary schools	59.4%	13	52.2	62.6	52.8	43.8	75.2	57.0	55.0	63.3	66.0	$9,647
Moselle Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	168 Rayner Road	Moselle	39459	Jones County	Jones County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 582-7586	562	44	12.8	72.8%	420 (74.7%)	45 (8.0%)	62 (11.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (6.0%)	68.2	115^th of 390 public elementary schools	70.5%		62.7	137^th of 377 public elementary schools	63.7%	22	70.0	63.2	50.7	45.2	65.2	82.9	49.3	53.7	70.2	$9,866
Hopewell Elementary School	Public	K-6	824 Hopewell Road	Collins	39428	Covington County	Covington County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 765-8568	195	23	8.4	100.0%	5 (2.6%)	186 (95.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.1%)	71.3	104^th of 390 public elementary schools	73.3%		70.5	104^th of 377 public elementary schools	72.4%		57.1	60.8	65.3	40.7	52.3	69.5	65.4	70.3	77.0	$13,403

Frequently Asked Questions about West Jones Elementary School

How many students attend West Jones Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,071 students attended West Jones Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of West Jones Elementary School?

Students at West Jones Elementary School are 54% White, 18% Hispanic, 17% African American, 11% Two or more races.

Is West Jones Elementary School a good school?

West Jones Elementary School ranks 161^st of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of West Jones Elementary School attend?

Students who attend West Jones Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : West Jones High School

What district is West Jones Elementary School in?

Jones County School District

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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.