Enrollment
570
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Jacksonville, NC
Carolina Forest Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Carolina Forest Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370345002738
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Carolina Forest Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 11
- elementary schools in Jacksonville · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.6:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 39.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Carolina Forest Elementary has class sizes smaller than 70% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Carolina Forest Elementary ranks #2 of 11 elementary schools in Jacksonville, NC.
School address
District: Onslow County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370345002738 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Carolina Forest Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Carolina Forest Elementary
Carolina Forest Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Jacksonville, North Carolina, enrolling 570 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.6:1 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 39.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 570 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 415 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #53.
Its student body is led by White (36%) and African American (25%) (diversity index 75/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 285 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 21.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Jacksonville's elementary schools, it stands alongside Stateside Elementary (579 students): Carolina Forest Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.6:1 vs 15.6:1).
Onslow County Schools also operates Jacksonville High (1,441 students) and White Oak High (1,252 students) alongside Carolina Forest 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 Carolina Forest Elementary compares
Carolina Forest 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 | 13.6:1 | ▼ 14% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.5% | ▼ 40% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 570 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
570
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% 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
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 30% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.2%
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
$10,680
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 285 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.0 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 36.3%
African American 24.6%
Hispanic or Latino 20.7%
Two or More 11.6%
Asian 5.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
Largest group: White at 36.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.8, Carolina Forest 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 Onslow County Schools, which includes Carolina Forest Elementary.
$10,680
Per student
-11%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.1%
State 57.2%
Federal 21.7%
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 Carolina Forest Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| White Oak High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Swansboro High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dixon High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northside High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Carolina Forest Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,441
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,252
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,232
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,085
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Jacksonville
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Stateside Elementary
Standard public school
579 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Bell Fork Elementary
Standard public school
551 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Meadow View Elementary
Standard public school
520 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Jacksonville Commons Elem
Standard public school
506 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Blue Creek Elementary
Standard public school
498 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Parkwood Elementary
Standard public school
457 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~570 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Carolina Forest Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Carolina Forest Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Onslow 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 Carolina Forest Elementary
How many students attend Carolina Forest Elementary?
Carolina Forest Elementary has 570 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Jacksonville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Carolina Forest Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Carolina Forest Elementary is 13.6:1, which is 14% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 13% 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 Carolina Forest Elementary?
39.5% of students at Carolina Forest Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Carolina Forest Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Carolina Forest Elementary is White at 36.3% of enrollment, in Jacksonville, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Carolina Forest Elementary?
Carolina Forest Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 Carolina Forest Elementary rank among elementary schools in Jacksonville?
By Resource Investment Index, Carolina Forest Elementary ranks #2 of 11 elementary schools in Jacksonville, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Jacksonville on the city page.
Is Carolina Forest Elementary a good school?
Carolina Forest Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of 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 Onslow County Schools?
Besides Carolina Forest Elementary, Onslow County Schools also operates Jacksonville High (1,441 students), White Oak High (1,252 students), and Swansboro High (1,232 students). See the Onslow 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.