Enrollment
382
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Burnsville, NC
Blue Ridge Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Blue Ridge Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370507003497
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Blue Ridge Elementary earns 32/100 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.
- #7 of 7
- public schools in Burnsville · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.6:1
- students per teacher
- 54.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Blue Ridge Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Blue Ridge Elementary ranks #7 of 7 public schools in Burnsville, NC.
School address
District: Yancey County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370507003497 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Blue Ridge Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Blue Ridge Elementary
Blue Ridge Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Burnsville, North Carolina, enrolling 382 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.6:1 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 54.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 382 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 379 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #327, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (92% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 15/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 382 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 17.9% 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 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Burnsville's public schools, it stands alongside Burnsville Elementary (350 students): Blue Ridge Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.6:1 vs 18.4:1).
Yancey County Schools also operates Mountain Heritage High (642 students) and Burnsville Elementary (350 students) alongside Blue Ridge 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 Blue Ridge Elementary compares
Blue Ridge 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 | 16.6:1 | ▲ 5% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.2% | ▼ 18% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 382 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.6:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
382
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% 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
16.6:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 69% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
43.7%
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
$14,275
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 382 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 28 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 91.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.8%
Two or More 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: White at 91.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 15.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 15.2, Blue Ridge 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 Yancey County Schools, which includes Blue Ridge Elementary.
$14,275
Per student
+19%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.4%
State 63.8%
Federal 17.9%
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 Blue Ridge Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Heritage High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Burnsville Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Yancey Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cane River Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Micaville Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Blue Ridge Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 642
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 350
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 259
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 210
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 188
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Burnsville
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~382 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Blue Ridge Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Blue Ridge Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Yancey 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 Blue Ridge Elementary
How many students attend Blue Ridge Elementary?
Blue Ridge Elementary has 382 students enrolled. It is a public school in Burnsville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Blue Ridge Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Blue Ridge Elementary is 16.6:1, which is 5% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Blue Ridge Elementary?
54.2% of students at Blue Ridge Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Blue Ridge Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Blue Ridge Elementary is White at 91.9% of enrollment, in Burnsville, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Blue Ridge Elementary?
Blue Ridge Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Blue Ridge Elementary rank among public schools in Burnsville?
By Resource Investment Index, Blue Ridge Elementary ranks #7 of 7 public schools in Burnsville, 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 Burnsville on the city page.
Is Blue Ridge Elementary a good school?
Blue Ridge Elementary earns 32/100 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 Yancey County Schools?
Besides Blue Ridge Elementary, Yancey County Schools also operates Mountain Heritage High (642 students), Burnsville Elementary (350 students), and East Yancey Middle (259 students). See the Yancey 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.