Clinton City Schools

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Clinton, North Carolina - 5 schools

An equity score of 62/100 ranks Clinton City Schools #79 of 297 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,982 per pupil, Clinton City Schools ranks #162 of 328 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,051
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$11,982
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Clinton City Schools operates 5 public schools serving 3,051 students, placing it among the smallest districts in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Sampson County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,982 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 328 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending. See how North Carolina compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 19.2% local, 58.4% state, and 22.4% 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 62/100, ranked #79 of 297 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 1 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (7 AP courses district-wide), a 373.8:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 17.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 42.2% Hispanic or Latino, 32.3% African American, 17.0% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Clinton High, with a diversity index of 70.4/100.

Its largest campus is Clinton High, enrolling 828 students (27% of the district's total enrollment).

Clinton High accounts for 27.1% of all Clinton City Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Clinton City Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Clinton City Schools school enrollment varies 2.3× across entities

Clinton City Schools school enrollment ranges from 366 students (lowest) to 828 students (highest), a spread of 462 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Clinton City Schools reports 99.4% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is above 87.5%, so economic need is widespread across the measured student population. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Clinton City Schools student-counselor ratio is 374:1 — 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.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Clinton City Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 17.7% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Clinton City Schools is typically wider than the Clinton City Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

22.4%
Federal
58.4%
State
19.2%
Local

Funding Equity

62
Equity Score
79 / 297
State Rank
45
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in Clinton City Schools.

White 17.0%
Hispanic or Latino 42.2%
African American 32.3%
Multiracial 5.7%
Other 2.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 68.3/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Clinton City Schools's schools, above the North Carolina average of 56.1.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Clinton High 70.4
  2. 2 Langdon C Kerr Elementary 69.2
  3. 3 Sampson Middle 67.9
  4. 4 Sunset Avenue Elementary 67.5
  5. 5 Butler Avenue Elementary 66.3

Programs & Resources

1 / 5
Schools with AP
7 AP courses total
373.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
17.7%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Clinton City Schools

School Enrollment
Clinton High
828
Sampson Middle
703
Sunset Avenue Elementary
649
Butler Avenue Elementary
469
Langdon C Kerr Elementary
366

How Clinton City Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The North Carolina districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Nc Virtual Academy Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Lexington City Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Anson County Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Cherokee County Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Newton Conover City Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Clinton City Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in North Carolina

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Wake County Schools
159,778 students · 197 schools · $11,691/pupil
Compare vs Clinton City Schools →
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
144,197 students · 180 schools · $12,198/pupil
Compare vs Clinton City Schools →
Guilford County Schools
68,894 students · 126 schools · $12,897/pupil
Compare vs Clinton City Schools →
Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools
52,717 students · 81 schools · $13,811/pupil
Compare vs Clinton City Schools →
Cumberland County Schools
49,661 students · 86 schools · $12,118/pupil
Compare vs Clinton City Schools →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Clinton City Schools

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Wake County Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Clinton City Schools?

Clinton City Schools has 5 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 2 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 3,051 students.

How much does Clinton City Schools spend per student?

Clinton City Schools spends $11,982 per student. The district has an equity score of 62/100, ranking #79 in North Carolina.

What is the demographic composition of Clinton City Schools?

Clinton City Schools students are 42.2% Hispanic or Latino, 32.3% African American, 17.0% White, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Clinton City Schools?

Clinton City Schools has an equity score of 62/100, ranking #79 out of 297 districts in North Carolina.