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Dobson, North Carolina - 20 schools
An equity score of 63/100 ranks Surry County Schools #75 of 293 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $12,638 per pupil, Surry County Schools ranks #106 of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
7,340
Total Enrollment
20
Schools
$12,638
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Surry County Schools operates 20 public schools serving 7,340 students, placing it in the mid-size range in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 12 combined, 4 high, 4 middle 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 Surry County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,638 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 15.6% local, 60.1% state, and 24.3% 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 63/100, ranked #75 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 3 of 20 schools offering Advanced Placement (14 AP courses district-wide), a 337.8:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 33.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 67.4% White, 26.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Flat Rock Elementary, with a diversity index of 54.9/100.
Its largest campus is North Surry High, enrolling 792 students (11% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Surry Online Magnet School, at 121 students, a 7x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Surry County Schools school enrollment varies 6.5× across entities
Surry County Schools school enrollment ranges from 121 students (lowest) to 792 students (highest), a spread of 671 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.
Surry County Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 60.9% 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.
Surry County Schools student-counselor ratio is 338:1 — 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 Surry County Schools is typically wider than the Surry County Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Surry County Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 33.6% — 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.
Surry County Schools has 20 schools, including 4 high, 4 middle, 12 combined. Total enrollment is 7,340 students.
How much does Surry County Schools spend per student?
Surry County Schools spends $12,638 per student. The district has an equity score of 63/100, ranking #75 in North Carolina.
What is the demographic composition of Surry County Schools?
Surry County Schools students are 67.4% White, 26.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% African American, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 20 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Surry County Schools?
Surry County Schools has an equity score of 63/100, ranking #75 out of 293 districts in North Carolina.