Kannapolis 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.

Kannapolis, North Carolina - 8 schools

An equity score of 66/100 ranks Kannapolis City Schools #59 of 297 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,142 per pupil, Kannapolis City Schools ranks #152 of 328 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

5,390
Total Enrollment
8
Schools
$12,142
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Kannapolis City Schools operates 8 public schools serving 5,390 students, placing it among the smaller districts in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly 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 Cabarrus County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,142 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 19.9% local, 49.8% state, and 30.3% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 66/100, ranked #59 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 8 schools offering Advanced Placement (11 AP courses district-wide), a 397.9:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 39.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 43.1% Hispanic or Latino, 24.1% African American, 23.0% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Forest Park Elementary, with a diversity index of 72.7/100.

Its largest campus is A L Brown High, enrolling 1,753 students (35% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is North Kannapolis Elementary, at 296 students, a 6x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

A L Brown High accounts for 32.5% of all Kannapolis City Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Kannapolis 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

Kannapolis City Schools school enrollment varies 5.9× across entities

Kannapolis City Schools school enrollment ranges from 296 students (lowest) to 1,753 students (highest), a spread of 1,457 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

Kannapolis 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

Kannapolis City Schools student-counselor ratio is 398:1 — 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

Kannapolis City Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 39.0% — 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.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

30.3%
Federal
49.8%
State
19.9%
Local

Funding Equity

66
Equity Score
59 / 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 8 schools in Kannapolis City Schools.

White 23.0%
Hispanic or Latino 43.1%
African American 24.1%
Asian 0.7%
Multiracial 8.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 68.0/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Forest Park Elementary 72.7
  2. 2 Shady Brook Elementary 71.9
  3. 3 Gw Carver Elementary 71.1
  4. 4 A L Brown High 69.7
  5. 5 Kannapolis Middle 69.5

Programs & Resources

1 / 8
Schools with AP
11 AP courses total
397.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
39.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Kannapolis City Schools

School Enrollment
A L Brown High
1,753
Kannapolis Middle
782
Gw Carver Elementary
503
Jackson Park Elementary
476
Forest Park Elementary
472
Fred L Wilson Elementary
415
Shady Brook Elementary
322
North Kannapolis Elementary
296

How Kannapolis City Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Edgecombe County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Columbus County Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Vance County Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Yadkin County Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Dare County Schools Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Kannapolis 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 Kannapolis City Schools →
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
144,197 students · 180 schools · $12,198/pupil
Compare vs Kannapolis City Schools →
Guilford County Schools
68,894 students · 126 schools · $12,897/pupil
Compare vs Kannapolis City Schools →
Cumberland County Schools
49,661 students · 86 schools · $12,118/pupil
Compare vs Kannapolis 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 Kannapolis 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 Kannapolis City Schools?

Kannapolis City Schools has 8 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 5 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 5,390 students.

How much does Kannapolis City Schools spend per student?

Kannapolis City Schools spends $12,142 per student. The district has an equity score of 66/100, ranking #59 in North Carolina.

What is the demographic composition of Kannapolis City Schools?

Kannapolis City Schools students are 43.1% Hispanic or Latino, 24.1% African American, 23.0% White, 0.7% Asian, averaged across 8 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Kannapolis City Schools?

Kannapolis City Schools has an equity score of 66/100, ranking #59 out of 297 districts in North Carolina.