Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School

Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School is a large elementary school in Starkville, Mississippi, one of the schools within Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. The school teaches 1,066 students in grades 2 through 4. By comparison, Mississippi's public schools average about 446 students each, so Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School sits 139% larger than that benchmark.

Within Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District, which oversees 7 schools and 4,880 students, Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School is one campus in the system.

Demographically, Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School shows that 65% of the student body identifies as Black. The remainder comes out to 28% White, 4% Asian. That is meaningfully more Black than the county at large, where the share is closer to 36%.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School has 71 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 15.1:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.9:1, putting Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School tighter than the state norm the norm. An estimated 69% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

In the broader community, community-level numbers for Oktibbeha County indicate median household income runs about $46,695, roughly 47% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 13%. Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School is one of 9 public schools in Oktibbeha County (combined enrollment of about 4,880 students).

The closest other public school is Armstrong Junior High School, roughly 0.6 miles away. 5 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

The campus sits in a town-based setting.

Over the past 7-year window. Over the past 7-year window, the student count decreased 9%: 1,168 students in 2018 compared to 1,066 in 2025.

Within the allk12 community for this school, members of the Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School community share and discuss school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.