Enrollment
655
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Cary, NC
Adams Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Adams Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370472001826
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Adams Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of North Carolina schools.
- #14 of 15
- schools in Cary · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.8:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 44.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Adams Elementary has class sizes larger than 71% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Adams Elementary ranks #14 of 15 schools in Cary, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472001826 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Adams Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Adams Elementary
Adams Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Cary, North Carolina, enrolling 655 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.8:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 44.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 655 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 475 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #299.
Its student body is led by White (39%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 655 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Cary's public schools, it stands alongside Triangle Math and Science Academy (1,904 students): Adams Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.8:1 vs 45.3:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside Adams Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Adams Elementary compares
Adams Elementary on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.8:1 | ▲ 6% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.6% | ▼ 32% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 655 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
655
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 71% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
22.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$11,859
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 655 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 38.5%
Hispanic or Latino 36.2%
African American 17.7%
Two or More 3.7%
Asian 3.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 38.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.7, Adams Elementary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wake County Schools, which includes Adams Elementary.
$11,859
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 54.5%
Federal 16.6%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Adams Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Friendship High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enloe High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Panther Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millbrook High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Adams Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,748
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,643
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,609
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,498
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,449
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Cary
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Triangle Math and Science Academy
Standard public school
1,904 students 45.3:1 students per teacher
Alston Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
917 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Hortons Creek Elementary
Standard public school
739 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Weatherstone Elementary
Standard public school
730 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Highcroft Elementary
Standard public school
698 students 14:1 students per teacher
Farmington Woods Elementary
Standard public school
648 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~655 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Adams Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Adams Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Wake County Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Adams Elementary
How many students attend Adams Elementary?
Adams Elementary has 655 students enrolled. It is a public school in Cary, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Adams Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Adams Elementary is 16.8:1, which is 6% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 7% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Adams Elementary?
44.6% of students at Adams Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Adams Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Adams Elementary is White at 38.5% of enrollment, in Cary, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Adams Elementary?
Adams Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Adams Elementary rank among schools in Cary?
By Resource Investment Index, Adams Elementary ranks #14 of 15 schools in Cary, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Cary on the city page.
Is Adams Elementary a good school?
Adams Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of North Carolina schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Wake County Schools?
Besides Adams Elementary, Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students), Enloe High (2,643 students), and Panther Creek High (2,609 students). See the Wake County Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.