- Enrollment
- 1,945
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Rocky Point, NC
Cape Fear Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cape Fear Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370357002601
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cape Fear Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #3 of 3
- schools in Rocky Point · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- students per teacher
- 64.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Cape Fear Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cape Fear Elementary ranks #3 of 3 schools in Rocky Point, NC.
School address
District: Pender County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370357002601 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-2 students YoY
Cape Fear Elementary held near 543 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 37.0 → 39.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-2 students YoY 370357002601 · Rocky Point, NC Other · MID · TRAD
533 enr · 14.4:1 · 64.2% lunch · RII 32
Nearest enrollment peer: Topsail High (1,945 students)
Cape Fear Elementary held near 543 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount). Teacher FTE added 37.0 → 39.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Cape Fear Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Topsail High
Topsail High
1,945 students
- Surf City Elem
Surf City Elementary
857 students
- Topsail Middle
Topsail Middle
837 students
- Surf City Midd 752
Surf City Middle
752 students
- Heide Trask Hi 732
Heide Trask High
732 students
- This school 533
Cape Fear Elementary
533 students
What this shows Cape Fear Elementary reports 533 students on the CCD universe file.
How Cape Fear Elementary compares
Cape Fear Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 | 64.2% | ▼ 3% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 533 | top 44% | - | - |
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.
533
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
64.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% 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
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
34.5%
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
$11,425
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,294
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 533 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 53.8%
Hispanic or Latino 30.8%
African American 8.6%
Two or More 6.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 53.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.4, Cape Fear Elementary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Pender County Schools reports $11,425 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Cape Fear Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topsail High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Surf City Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Topsail Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Surf City Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heide Trask High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cape Fear Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 857
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 837
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 752
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 732
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar other schools in Rocky Point
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~533 students)
Frequently asked questions about Cape Fear Elementary
How many students attend Cape Fear Elementary?
Cape Fear Elementary has 533 students enrolled. It is a public school in Rocky Point, NC. CCD year-over-year: 545 (2022-23) → 543 (2023-24), nearly flat (-2).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cape Fear Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cape Fear Elementary 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 Cape Fear Elementary?
64.2% of students at Cape Fear Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cape Fear Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cape Fear Elementary is White at 53.8% of enrollment, in Rocky Point, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cape Fear Elementary?
Cape Fear Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cape Fear Elementary rank among schools in Rocky Point?
By Resource Investment Index, Cape Fear Elementary ranks #3 of 3 schools in Rocky Point, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Rocky Point on the city page.
What other schools are in Pender County Schools?
Besides Cape Fear Elementary, Pender County Schools also operates Topsail High (1,945 students), Surf City Elementary (857 students), and Topsail Middle (837 students). See the Pender County Schools district page for the complete list.