Enrollment
905
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Holly Springs, NC
Buckhorn Creek Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Buckhorn Creek Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370472003473
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 10
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Buckhorn Creek Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #3 of 5
- schools in Holly Springs · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.5:1
- students per teacher
- 22.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Buckhorn Creek Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Buckhorn Creek Elementary ranks #3 of 5 schools in Holly Springs, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472003473 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
55.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.5:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-66% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Buckhorn Creek Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Buckhorn Creek Elementary
Buckhorn Creek Elementary is a large combined-grade school in Holly Springs, North Carolina, enrolling 905 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.5:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 22.2% free-meal eligibility runs 66% below the North Carolina average.
Enrollment of 905 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 242 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #100.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and Asian (19%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 453 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
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 Holly Springs's public schools, it stands alongside Holly Grove Elementary (889 students): Buckhorn Creek Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.5:1 vs 14.3:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside Buckhorn Creek 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 Buckhorn Creek Elementary compares
Buckhorn Creek 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 | 16.5:1 | ▲ 4% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.2% | ▼ 66% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 905 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.5:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
905
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 66% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 68% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
14.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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 453 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
35
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.1 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 49.0%
Asian 18.9%
Hispanic or Latino 13.8%
African American 12.0%
Two or More 5.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 49.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.7, Buckhorn Creek 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 Buckhorn Creek 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 Buckhorn Creek 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 | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millbrook High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Buckhorn Creek 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 Holly Springs
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Holly Grove Elementary
Standard public school
889 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Holly Springs Elementary
Standard public school
751 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Holly Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
735 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Southern Wake Academy
Standard public school
534 students 10.9:1 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 (~905 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Buckhorn Creek Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Buckhorn Creek 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 Buckhorn Creek Elementary
How many students attend Buckhorn Creek Elementary?
Buckhorn Creek Elementary has 905 students enrolled. It is a public school in Holly Springs, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Buckhorn Creek Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Buckhorn Creek Elementary is 16.5:1, which is 4% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 5% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Buckhorn Creek Elementary?
22.2% of students at Buckhorn Creek Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Buckhorn Creek Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Buckhorn Creek Elementary is White at 49.0% of enrollment, in Holly Springs, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Buckhorn Creek Elementary?
Buckhorn Creek Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Buckhorn Creek Elementary rank among schools in Holly Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, Buckhorn Creek Elementary ranks #3 of 5 schools in Holly Springs, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Holly Springs on the city page.
Is Buckhorn Creek Elementary a good school?
Buckhorn Creek Elementary earns 45/100 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 Buckhorn Creek 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.