Moore County 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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Carthage, North Carolina - 23 schools

An equity score of 42/100 ranks Moore County Schools #150 of 293 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,242 per pupil, Moore County Schools ranks #184 of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

13,008
Total Enrollment
23
Schools
$11,242
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Moore County Schools operates 23 public schools serving 13,008 students, placing it in the mid-size range in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 8 combined, 7 elementary, 5 middle, 3 high 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 Moore County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,242 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower 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 23.6% local, 57.2% state, and 19.2% 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 42/100, ranked #150 of 293 in North Carolina against a state average of 45, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 23 schools offering Advanced Placement (43 AP courses district-wide), a 425.9:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 39.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 60.8% White, 17.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Aberdeen Elementary, with a diversity index of 74.0/100.

Its largest campus is Pinecrest High, enrolling 2,290 students (18% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is The Community Learning Center @ Pinckney, at 77 students, a 30x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Pinecrest High accounts for 17.5% of all Moore County Schools student enrollment

That concentration means Moore County Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Moore County Schools school enrollment varies 30× across entities

Moore County Schools school enrollment ranges from 77 students (lowest) to 2,290 students (highest), a spread of 2,213 students. That spread is wider than typical and predicts noticeable gaps in service quality between the highest and lowest areas. 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

Moore County Schools student-counselor ratio is 426:1 — 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

Moore County Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 39.2% — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

19.2%
Federal
57.2%
State
23.6%
Local

Funding Equity

42
Equity Score
150 / 293
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 23 schools in Moore County Schools.

White 60.8%
Hispanic or Latino 17.9%
African American 12.3%
Asian 0.9%
Multiracial 7.4%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 51.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Moore County Schools's schools, below the North Carolina average of 56.1.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Aberdeen Elementary 74.0
  2. 2 Southern Pines Elementary 69.6
  3. 3 Southern Middle 67.6
  4. 4 The Community Learning Center @ Pinckney 66.1
  5. 5 Crain's Creek Middle 63.9

Programs & Resources

3 / 23
Schools with AP
43 AP courses total
425.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
39.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Moore County Schools

School Enrollment
Pinecrest High
2,290
Union Pines High
1,462
West Pine Middle
717
Mcdeeds Creek Elementary
707
Aberdeen Elementary
675
Southern Middle
620
North Moore High
605
New Century Middle
602
Southern Pines Elementary
600
Pinehurst Elementary
584
Vass-Lakeview Elementary
511
Crain's Creek Middle
481
West End Elementary
413
West Pine Elementary
383
Sandhills Farm Life Elementary
379
Robbins Elementary
378
Carthage Elementary
350
Highfalls Elementary
293
Connect Academy
283
Westmoore Elementary
268
Cameron Elementary
215
Elise Middle
192
The Community Learning Center @ Pinckney
77

How Moore County Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Brunswick County Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Henderson County Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Craven County Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Burke County Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Lincoln County Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Moore County 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 · $11,859/pupil
Compare vs Moore County Schools →
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
144,197 students · 180 schools · $11,853/pupil
Compare vs Moore County Schools →
Guilford County Schools
68,894 students · 126 schools · $13,036/pupil
Compare vs Moore County Schools →
Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools
52,717 students · 81 schools · $13,036/pupil
Compare vs Moore County Schools →
Cumberland County Schools
49,661 students · 86 schools · $12,412/pupil
Compare vs Moore County Schools →

Compare Moore County 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 Moore County Schools?

Moore County Schools has 23 schools, including 3 high, 5 middle, 7 elementary, 8 combined. Total enrollment is 13,008 students.

How much does Moore County Schools spend per student?

Moore County Schools spends $11,242 per student. The district has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #150 in North Carolina.

What is the demographic composition of Moore County Schools?

Moore County Schools students are 60.8% White, 17.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% African American, 0.9% Asian, averaged across 23 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Moore County Schools?

Moore County Schools has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #150 out of 293 districts in North Carolina.