Enrollment
475
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Canton, NC
Canton Middle
Federal NCES profile for Canton Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370204000897
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 37
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Canton Middle earns 42/100 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.
- #3 of 5
- public schools in Canton · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- students per teacher
- 99.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Canton Middle has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Canton Middle ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Canton, NC.
School address
District: Haywood County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370204000897 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Canton Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Canton Middle
Canton Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Canton, North Carolina, enrolling 475 students.
At 14.4:1, 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 runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 99.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 475 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 560 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #128.
Its student body is predominantly White (84% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 28/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 317 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 20.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Haywood County Schools also operates Tuscola High (873 students) and Pisgah High (859 students) alongside Canton Middle.
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 Canton Middle compares
Canton Middle 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 | 14.4:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.3% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 475 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
475
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.3%
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
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 41% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.8%
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
$12,690
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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 317 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
52
in-school suspensions + 25 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.2 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 84.0%
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%
Two or More 4.2%
African American 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 84.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.2, Canton Middle is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Haywood County Schools, which includes Canton Middle.
$12,690
Per student
+6%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.5%
State 54.0%
Federal 20.5%
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 Canton Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscola High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pisgah High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Waynesville Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bethel Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Clyde Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Canton Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 873
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 859
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 727
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 537
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 523
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar middle 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 (~475 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Canton Middle's federal record.
- Compare Canton Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Haywood 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 Canton Middle
How many students attend Canton Middle?
Canton Middle has 475 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Canton, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Canton Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Canton Middle is 14.4:1, which is 9% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 8% 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 Canton Middle?
99.3% of students at Canton Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Canton Middle?
The largest demographic group at Canton Middle is White at 84.0% of enrollment, in Canton, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Canton Middle?
Canton Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Canton Middle rank among public schools in Canton?
By Resource Investment Index, Canton Middle ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Canton, 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 Canton on the city page.
Is Canton Middle a good school?
Canton Middle earns 42/100 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 Haywood County Schools?
Besides Canton Middle, Haywood County Schools also operates Tuscola High (873 students), Pisgah High (859 students), and Waynesville Middle (727 students). See the Haywood 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.