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Fayetteville, North Carolina - 86 schools
An equity score of 69/100 ranks Cumberland County Schools #48 of 293 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $12,412 per pupil, Cumberland County Schools ranks #114 of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
49,661
Total Enrollment
86
Schools
$12,412
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Cumberland County Schools operates 86 public schools serving 49,661 students, placing it among the largest districts in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 35 combined, 18 elementary, 17 high, 16 middle schools, giving families in a major system a clear picture of grade-band coverage across a large portfolio 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 Cumberland County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,412 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, 57.7% state, and 25.7% 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 69/100, ranked #48 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 14 of 86 schools offering Advanced Placement (134 AP courses district-wide), a 318:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 40.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 47.1% African American, 22.7% White, 16.6% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Stoney Point Elementary, with a diversity index of 77.6/100.
Its largest campus is Jack Britt High, enrolling 1,940 students (4% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Howard Learning Academy, at 8 students, a 243x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Cumberland County Schools school enrollment varies 243× across entities
Cumberland County Schools school enrollment ranges from 8 students (lowest) to 1,940 students (highest), a spread of 1,932 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Cumberland County Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 84.1% 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). Areas above 75% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. 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.
Cumberland County Schools student-counselor ratio is 318:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
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 Variation between sub-units within Cumberland County Schools is typically wider than the Cumberland County Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Cumberland County Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 40.0% — 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.
How many schools are in Cumberland County Schools?
Cumberland County Schools has 86 schools, including 17 high, 16 middle, 35 combined, 18 elementary. Total enrollment is 49,661 students.
How much does Cumberland County Schools spend per student?
Cumberland County Schools spends $12,412 per student. The district has an equity score of 69/100, ranking #48 in North Carolina.
What is the demographic composition of Cumberland County Schools?
Cumberland County Schools students are 47.1% African American, 22.7% White, 16.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.9% Asian, averaged across 86 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Cumberland County Schools?
Cumberland County Schools has an equity score of 69/100, ranking #48 out of 293 districts in North Carolina.