Clara School

Clara School is a middle-of-the-pack elementary school in Waynesboro, Mississippi, part of Wayne County School District. The school works with 418 students in grades pre-K through 8.

Wayne County School District comprises 6 schools with combined enrollment of 2,977 students; Clara School is among them.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Clara School lists that the student body is overwhelmingly White (88%). Beyond that, the school reports 8% Black, 3% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 57% White, putting the school's mix meaningfully more White than the area baseline.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Clara School records 29 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 14.2:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 15.9:1 average. An estimated 99% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Clara School sits in the top 10% of Mississippi schools after the BeatsExpectations adjustment. Predicted proficiency for the school's FRL share is roughly 44.5%; actual is 61.4%, +16.9 points clear of the demographic baseline.

In the broader community, the surrounding county (Wayne County) records that median household earnings sit near $37,619, about 16% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 16%. In all, Wayne County runs 8 public schools (combined enrollment of about 2,977 students), of which Clara School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Waynesboro Riverview School, around 6.3 miles off. Within ten miles, there are 3 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas.

The school occupies a rural site.

Looking at the recent track record. Clara School's enrollment has decreased 14% since 2018, when it stood at 486 (now 418). Black enrollment moved from 15% to 8% across the same window.

On this page, posts here usually surface around science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.