Enrollment
288
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hendersonville, NC
Atkinson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Atkinson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370210002094
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Atkinson Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most North Carolina schools.
- #4 of 6
- schools in Hendersonville · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.7:1
- students per teacher
- 44.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Atkinson Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Atkinson Elementary ranks #4 of 6 schools in Hendersonville, NC.
School address
District: Henderson County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370210002094 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Atkinson Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Atkinson Elementary
Atkinson Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Hendersonville, North Carolina, enrolling 288 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 44.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 288 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 209 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #175, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (83% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 30/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 288 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Hendersonville's public schools, it stands alongside Bruce Drysdale Elementary (473 students): Atkinson Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.7:1 vs 16.3:1).
Henderson County Schools also operates West Henderson High (1,053 students) and North Henderson High (1,052 students) alongside Atkinson 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 Atkinson Elementary compares
Atkinson 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 | 13.7:1 | ▼ 13% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.8% | ▼ 32% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 288 | top 79% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.7:1
Leaner classes than 60% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
288
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.8%
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
13.7:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 31% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 69% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
44.1%
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
$11,469
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 288 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.5 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 83.3%
Hispanic or Latino 9.0%
Two or More 3.5%
African American 1.7%
Asian 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 83.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 29.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 29.6, Atkinson Elementary is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Henderson County Schools, which includes Atkinson Elementary.
$11,469
Per student
-5%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.8%
State 58.3%
Federal 19.9%
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 Atkinson Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Henderson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Henderson High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Henderson High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rugby Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apple Valley Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Atkinson Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,053
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,052
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 932
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 849
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 820
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Hendersonville
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Bruce Drysdale Elementary
Standard public school
473 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Clear Creek Elementary
Standard public school
435 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Sugarloaf Elementary
Standard public school
415 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Edneyville Elementary
Standard public school
405 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Dana Elementary
Standard public school
403 students 13.9:1 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 (~288 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Atkinson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Atkinson Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Henderson 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 Atkinson Elementary
How many students attend Atkinson Elementary?
Atkinson Elementary has 288 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hendersonville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Atkinson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Atkinson Elementary is 13.7:1, which is 13% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 13% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Atkinson Elementary?
44.8% of students at Atkinson Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Atkinson Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Atkinson Elementary is White at 83.3% of enrollment, in Hendersonville, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Atkinson Elementary?
Atkinson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Atkinson Elementary rank among schools in Hendersonville?
By Resource Investment Index, Atkinson Elementary ranks #4 of 6 schools in Hendersonville, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hendersonville on the city page.
Is Atkinson Elementary a good school?
Atkinson Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Henderson County Schools?
Besides Atkinson Elementary, Henderson County Schools also operates West Henderson High (1,053 students), North Henderson High (1,052 students), and East Henderson High (932 students). See the Henderson 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.