- Enrollment
- 1,945
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Rocky Point, NC
Cape Fear Middle
Federal NCES profile for Cape Fear Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370357002602
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cape Fear Middle earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 5
- public schools in Rocky Point · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 63.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Cape Fear Middle has class sizes smaller than 78% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cape Fear Middle ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Rocky Point, NC.
School address
District: Pender County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370357002602 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-13 students YoY
Cape Fear Middle held near 449 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-13 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 33.0 → 34.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-13 students YoY 370357002602 · Rocky Point, NC Middle · SMALL · TRAD
430 enr · 13:1 · 63.9% lunch · RII 33
Nearest enrollment peer: Topsail High (1,945 students)
Cape Fear Middle held near 449 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-13 headcount). Teacher FTE added 33.0 → 34.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Cape Fear Middle 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 430
Cape Fear Middle
430 students
What this shows Cape Fear Middle reports 430 students on the CCD universe file.
How Cape Fear Middle compares
Cape Fear Middle 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 | 13:1 | ▼ 18% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.9% | ▼ 3% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 430 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13:1
Leaner classes than 67% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
430
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
63.9%
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
13:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 22% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
42.3%
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 430 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
61
in-school suspensions + 86 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 34.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 46.3%
Hispanic or Latino 37.9%
African American 8.4%
Two or More 7.0%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 46.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.0, Cape Fear Middle 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 Middle 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 Middle'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
Nationwide middle 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 (~430 students)
Frequently asked questions about Cape Fear Middle
How many students attend Cape Fear Middle?
Cape Fear Middle has 430 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Rocky Point, NC. CCD year-over-year: 462 (2022-23) → 449 (2023-24), nearly flat (-13).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cape Fear Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Cape Fear Middle is 13:1, which is 18% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 17% 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 Middle?
63.9% of students at Cape Fear Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cape Fear Middle?
The largest demographic group at Cape Fear Middle is White at 46.3% of enrollment, in Rocky Point, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cape Fear Middle?
Cape Fear Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Middle rank among public schools in Rocky Point?
By Resource Investment Index, Cape Fear Middle ranks #3 of 5 public 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 public schools in Rocky Point on the city page.
What other schools are in Pender County Schools?
Besides Cape Fear Middle, 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.