Enrollment
1,204
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Wendell, NC
Archer Lodge Middle
Federal NCES profile for Archer Lodge Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370237002998
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 51
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Archer Lodge Middle earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 8
- public schools in Wendell · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.4:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 36.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Archer Lodge Middle has class sizes larger than 88% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Archer Lodge Middle ranks #3 of 8 public schools in Wendell, NC.
School address
District: Johnston County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370237002998 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
62.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Archer Lodge Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Archer Lodge Middle
Archer Lodge Middle is a large middle school in Wendell, North Carolina, enrolling 1,204 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.4:1 is larger than about 88% of North Carolina schools and 23% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.3% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,204 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 220 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #77.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%) (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 401 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 17.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Wendell's middle schools, it stands alongside Wendell Middle (762 students): Archer Lodge Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.4:1 vs 14.7:1).
Johnston County Public Schools also operates Corinth Holders High (2,187 students) and Clayton High (1,929 students) alongside Archer Lodge Middle.
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 Archer Lodge Middle compares
Archer Lodge Middle 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 | 19.4:1 | ▲ 23% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.3% | ▼ 45% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,204 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.4:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,204
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19.4:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 88% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
19.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$10,788
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 401 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
102
in-school suspensions + 84 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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 53.2%
Hispanic or Latino 23.5%
African American 16.9%
Two or More 4.9%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 53.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.1, Archer Lodge Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Johnston County Public Schools, which includes Archer Lodge Middle.
$10,788
Per student
-10%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.7%
State 62.2%
Federal 17.1%
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 Archer Lodge Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corinth Holders High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Clayton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cleveland High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Johnston High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Smithfield-Selma High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Archer Lodge Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,187
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,929
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,889
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,563
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,548
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar middle schools in Wendell
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~1,204 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Archer Lodge Middle's federal record.
- Compare Archer Lodge Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Johnston County Public 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 Archer Lodge Middle
How many students attend Archer Lodge Middle?
Archer Lodge Middle has 1,204 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Wendell, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Archer Lodge Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Archer Lodge Middle is 19.4:1, which is 23% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 24% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Archer Lodge Middle?
36.3% of students at Archer Lodge Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Archer Lodge Middle?
The largest demographic group at Archer Lodge Middle is White at 53.2% of enrollment, in Wendell, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Archer Lodge Middle?
Archer Lodge Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Archer Lodge Middle rank among public schools in Wendell?
By Resource Investment Index, Archer Lodge Middle ranks #3 of 8 public schools in Wendell, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Wendell on the city page.
Is Archer Lodge Middle a good school?
Archer Lodge Middle earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% 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 Johnston County Public Schools?
Besides Archer Lodge Middle, Johnston County Public Schools also operates Corinth Holders High (2,187 students), Clayton High (1,929 students), and Cleveland High (1,889 students). See the Johnston County Public 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.