Enrollment
486
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Cary, NC
Briarcliff Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Briarcliff Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370472001837
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 51
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Briarcliff Elementary earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #3 of 15
- schools in Cary · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 33.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Briarcliff Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Briarcliff Elementary ranks #3 of 15 schools in Cary, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472001837 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Briarcliff Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Briarcliff Elementary
Briarcliff Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Cary, North Carolina, enrolling 486 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.3:1 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 33.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 486 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 283 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #37.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 243 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Cary's public schools, it stands alongside Triangle Math and Science Academy (1,904 students): Briarcliff Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.3:1 vs 45.3:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside Briarcliff 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 Briarcliff Elementary compares
Briarcliff 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 | 14.3:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.3% | ▼ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 486 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
486
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 39% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
21.2%
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
$11,859
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 243 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.1 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 56.6%
Hispanic or Latino 24.1%
Asian 8.2%
African American 8.0%
Two or More 3.1%
Largest group: White at 56.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.7, Briarcliff 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 Wake County Schools, which includes Briarcliff Elementary.
$11,859
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 54.5%
Federal 16.6%
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 Briarcliff Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Friendship High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enloe High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Panther Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millbrook High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Briarcliff Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,748
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,643
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,609
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,498
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,449
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Cary
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Triangle Math and Science Academy
Standard public school
1,904 students 45.3:1 students per teacher
Alston Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
917 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Hortons Creek Elementary
Standard public school
739 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Weatherstone Elementary
Standard public school
730 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Highcroft Elementary
Standard public school
698 students 14:1 students per teacher
Adams Elementary
Standard public school
655 students 16.8:1 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 (~486 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Briarcliff Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Briarcliff Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Wake 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 Briarcliff Elementary
How many students attend Briarcliff Elementary?
Briarcliff Elementary has 486 students enrolled. It is a public school in Cary, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Briarcliff Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Briarcliff Elementary is 14.3:1, which is 9% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 9% 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 Briarcliff Elementary?
33.3% of students at Briarcliff Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Briarcliff Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Briarcliff Elementary is White at 56.6% of enrollment, in Cary, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Briarcliff Elementary?
Briarcliff Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher 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 Briarcliff Elementary rank among schools in Cary?
By Resource Investment Index, Briarcliff Elementary ranks #3 of 15 schools in Cary, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Cary on the city page.
Is Briarcliff Elementary a good school?
Briarcliff Elementary earns 53/100 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 Wake County Schools?
Besides Briarcliff Elementary, Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students), Enloe High (2,643 students), and Panther Creek High (2,609 students). See the Wake 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.