Enrollment
380
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Winston Salem, NC
Bolton Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Bolton Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370150000588
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 62
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bolton Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 22
- schools in Winston Salem · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.9:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 99.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Bolton Elementary has class sizes smaller than 88% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bolton Elementary ranks #3 of 22 schools in Winston Salem, NC.
School address
District: Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370150000588 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.0%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bolton Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bolton Elementary
Bolton Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Winston Salem, North Carolina, enrolling 380 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.9:1, Bolton Elementary is leaner than roughly 88% of North Carolina schools and 25% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 99.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 380 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 484 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #71.
Its student body is led by African American (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 190 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 22.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Winston Salem's public schools, it stands alongside Speas Elementary (793 students): Bolton Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.9:1 vs 15.9:1).
Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools also operates West Forsyth High (2,145 students) and Ronald W Reagan High School (2,122 students) alongside Bolton 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 Bolton Elementary compares
Bolton 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 | 11.9:1 | ▼ 25% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.0% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 380 | top 67% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.9:1
Leaner classes than 76% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
380
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% above 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
11.9:1
students per teacher
- 25% below state mean
Top 12% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
47.1%
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
$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 190 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.9 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 52.9%
Hispanic or Latino 30.5%
White 8.2%
Two or More 6.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 52.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.6, Bolton 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 Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools, which includes Bolton Elementary.
$13,036
Per student
+8%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.3%
State 52.1%
Federal 22.5%
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 Bolton Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Forsyth High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ronald W Reagan High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| R J Reynolds High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Forsyth High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parkland High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bolton Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,145
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,122
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,759
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,647
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,569
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in Winston Salem
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Speas Elementary
Standard public school
793 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Sherwood Forest Elementary
Standard public school
670 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Griffith Elementary
Standard public school
621 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Old Town Elementary
Standard public school
617 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Konnoak Elementary
Standard public school
600 students 14:1 students per teacher
Paisley Ib Magnet School
Standard public school
553 students 12:1 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 (~380 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bolton Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Bolton Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Winston Salem / Forsyth 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 Bolton Elementary
How many students attend Bolton Elementary?
Bolton Elementary has 380 students enrolled. It is a public school in Winston Salem, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bolton Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bolton Elementary is 11.9:1, which is 25% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 24% 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 Bolton Elementary?
99.0% of students at Bolton Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bolton Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Bolton Elementary is African American at 52.9% of enrollment, in Winston Salem, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bolton Elementary?
Bolton Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Bolton Elementary rank among schools in Winston Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, Bolton Elementary ranks #3 of 22 schools in Winston Salem, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Winston Salem on the city page.
Is Bolton Elementary a good school?
Bolton Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller 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 Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools?
Besides Bolton Elementary, Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools also operates West Forsyth High (2,145 students), Ronald W Reagan High School (2,122 students), and R J Reynolds High (1,759 students). See the Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools district page for the complete list.
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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.