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Lenoir, North Carolina - 24 schools
An equity score of 61/100 ranks Caldwell County Schools #83 of 293 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $11,644 per pupil, Caldwell County Schools ranks #160 of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
10,758
Total Enrollment
24
Schools
$11,644
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Caldwell County Schools operates 24 public schools serving 10,758 students, placing it in the mid-size range in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 14 combined, 5 high, 4 middle, 1 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Caldwell County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,644 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending. See how North Carolina compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 16.5% local, 57.4% state, and 26.1% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 61/100, ranked #83 of 293 in North Carolina against a state average of 45, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 24 schools offering Advanced Placement (16 AP courses district-wide), a 401.6:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 37.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 72.0% White, 14.7% Hispanic or Latino, 5.6% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Valmead Elementary, with a diversity index of 69.6/100.
Its largest campus is South Caldwell High, enrolling 1,272 students (12% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Horizons Elementary, at 29 students, a 44x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Caldwell County Schools school enrollment varies 44× across entities
Caldwell County Schools school enrollment ranges from 29 students (lowest) to 1,272 students (highest), a spread of 1,243 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity, the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Caldwell County Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 66.1% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch
free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.
Caldwell County Schools student-counselor ratio is 402:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
Caldwell County Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 37.8% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
Caldwell County Schools has 24 schools, including 5 high, 14 combined, 4 middle, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 10,758 students.
How much does Caldwell County Schools spend per student?
Caldwell County Schools spends $11,644 per student. The district has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #83 in North Carolina.
What is the demographic composition of Caldwell County Schools?
Caldwell County Schools students are 72.0% White, 14.7% Hispanic or Latino, 5.6% African American, 0.8% Asian, averaged across 24 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Caldwell County Schools?
Caldwell County Schools has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #83 out of 293 districts in North Carolina.