Johnston County Public Schools

Smithfield, North Carolina — 48 schools

37,286
Total Enrollment
48
Schools
$11,360
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Johnston County Public Schools operates 48 public schools serving 37,286 students, placing it in the mid-size range in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 27 other, 11 middle, 9 high, 1 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 37,320 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Johnston County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,360 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 20.7% local, 62.2% state, and 17.1% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $70,915 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 39/100, ranked #166 of 293 in North Carolina against a state average of 45 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 7 of 48 schools offering Advanced Placement (65 AP courses district-wide), a 426.9:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 26.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 41.5% White, 32.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% African American across the district's schools.

Johnston County Public Schools school enrollment varies 23× across entities

Johnston County Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 97 students (lowest) to 2,187 students (highest), a spread of 2,090 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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 NCES Common Core of Data

Johnston County Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 54.3% 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 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.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Johnston County Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 427:1 — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Johnston County Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 26.2% — 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 Johnston County Public Schools is typically wider than the Johnston County Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

17.1%
Federal
62.2%
State
20.7%
Local

Funding Equity

39
Equity Score
166 / 293
State Rank
45
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Johnston County county, where this district is located.

$1,524
Studio/mo
$1,596
1 BR/mo
$1,750
2 BR/mo
$2,196
3 BR/mo
$2,936
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$70,915
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 48 schools in Johnston County Public Schools.

White 41.5%
Hispanic or Latino 32.7%
African American 19.0%
Asian 0.9%
Multiracial 5.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

7 / 48
Schools with AP
65 AP courses total
426.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
26.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Johnston County Public Schools

School Enrollment
Corinth Holders High
2,187
Clayton High
1,929
Cleveland High
1,889
West Johnston High
1,563
Smithfield-Selma High
1,548
South Johnston High
1,355
Archer Lodge Middle
1,204
Four Oaks Elementary
1,051
Polenta Elementary
1,010
Princeton High
988
River Dell Elementary
981
West View Elementary
969
Mcgee'S Crossroads Elem
950
Cleveland Middle
936
Riverwood Middle
902
Thanksgiving Elementary
870
Cleveland Elementary
851
Selma Elementary
794
North Johnston High
788
Princeton Elementary
770
Mcgee'S Crossroads Middle
757
West Clayton Elementary
742
Riverwood Elementary
728
Benson Elementary
719
Swift Creek Middle
691
Powhatan Elementary
656
Meadow School
646
Dixon Road Elementary
644
Clayton Middle
609
North Johnston Middle
598
Corinth-Holders Elementary
585
Smithfield Middle
573
East Clayton Elementary
524
Wilson'S Mills Elementary
496
West Smithfield Elementary
494
Four Oaks Middle
477
South Smithfield Elementary
450
Cooper Academy
447
Glendale-Kenly Elementary
433
Micro Elementary
404
Benson Middle
377
Pine Level Elementary
341
Selma Middle School
339
The Innovation Academy at South Campus
263
Johnston Co Early College Academy
251
Johnston County Schools Career Technical
241
Jcps Virtual Academy
203
Choice Plus Academy
97

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 · $14,074/pupil
Compare vs Johnston County Public Schools →
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
144,197 students · 180 schools · $15,997/pupil
Compare vs Johnston County Public Schools →
Guilford County Schools
68,894 students · 126 schools · $13,788/pupil
Compare vs Johnston County Public Schools →
Cumberland County Schools
49,661 students · 86 schools · $12,982/pupil
Compare vs Johnston County Public Schools →

Compare Johnston County Public 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 Johnston County Public Schools?

Johnston County Public Schools has 48 schools, including 9 high, 11 middle, 27 other, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 37,286 students.

How much does Johnston County Public Schools spend per student?

Johnston County Public Schools spends $11,360 per student. The district has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #166 in North Carolina.

What is the average teacher salary in Johnston County Public Schools?

The average teacher salary in Johnston County Public Schools is $70,915 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Johnston County Public Schools?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Johnston County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Johnston County Public Schools?

Johnston County Public Schools students are 41.5% White, 32.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% African American, 0.9% Asian, averaged across 48 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Johnston County Public Schools?

Johnston County Public Schools has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #166 out of 293 districts in North Carolina. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
Industry baseline

Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.