Enrollment
509
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Greensboro, NC
Bessemer Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Bessemer Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370192000760
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bessemer Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #11 of 33
- schools in Greensboro · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 99.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Bessemer Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bessemer Elementary ranks #11 of 33 schools in Greensboro, NC.
School address
District: Guilford County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370192000760 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bessemer Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bessemer Elementary
Bessemer Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Greensboro, North Carolina, enrolling 509 students.
At 15.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 99.4% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 509 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 561 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #194.
Its student body is led by African American (62%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 255 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 26.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Greensboro's public schools, it stands alongside Triad Math and Science Academy (1,374 students): Bessemer Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.4:1 vs 28.6:1).
Guilford County Schools also operates Northwest Guilford High (2,055 students) and Grimsley High (1,967 students) alongside Bessemer 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 Bessemer Elementary compares
Bessemer 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 | 15.4:1 | ▼ 3% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.4% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 509 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
509
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 55% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
47.3%
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
$13,036
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 255 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.9 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
African American 61.7%
Hispanic or Latino 27.3%
Asian 3.7%
White 3.5%
Two or More 3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 61.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.1, Bessemer 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 Guilford County Schools, which includes Bessemer Elementary.
$13,036
Per student
+8%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.4%
State 48.8%
Federal 26.8%
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 Bessemer Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Guilford High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grimsley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Page High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southwest Guilford High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| James B Dudley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bessemer Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,055
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,967
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,648
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,547
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,403
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Greensboro
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Triad Math and Science Academy
Standard public school
1,374 students 28.6:1 students per teacher
Cornerstone Charter Academy-Cfa
Standard public school
1,343 students 17:1 students per teacher
Jefferson Elementary
Standard public school
698 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Rankin Elementary
Standard public school
673 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Julius I Foust Elementary
Standard public school
661 students 36.7:1 students per teacher
David D Jones Elementary
Standard public school
660 students 12.5:1 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 (~509 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bessemer Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Bessemer Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Guilford 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 Bessemer Elementary
How many students attend Bessemer Elementary?
Bessemer Elementary has 509 students enrolled. It is a public school in Greensboro, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bessemer Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bessemer Elementary is 15.4:1, which is 3% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 2% 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 Bessemer Elementary?
99.4% of students at Bessemer Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bessemer Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Bessemer Elementary is African American at 61.7% of enrollment, in Greensboro, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bessemer Elementary?
Bessemer 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 Bessemer Elementary rank among schools in Greensboro?
By Resource Investment Index, Bessemer Elementary ranks #11 of 33 schools in Greensboro, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Greensboro on the city page.
Is Bessemer Elementary a good school?
Bessemer Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. 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 Guilford County Schools?
Besides Bessemer Elementary, Guilford County Schools also operates Northwest Guilford High (2,055 students), Grimsley High (1,967 students), and Page High (1,648 students). See the Guilford 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.