Enrollment
450
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Catawba, NC
Catawba Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Catawba Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370069000278
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 10
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Catawba Elementary School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Catawba · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.5:1
- students per teacher
- 66.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Catawba Elementary School has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Catawba Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Catawba, NC.
School address
District: Catawba County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370069000278 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+0% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Catawba Elementary School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Catawba Elementary School
Catawba Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Catawba, North Carolina, enrolling 450 students.
At 15.5:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 66.1% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 450 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 395 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #292, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 450 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 22.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Catawba's public schools, it stands alongside Catawba Rosenwald Education Center (7 students): Catawba Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount.
Catawba County Schools also operates Saint Stephens High (1,268 students) and Bandys High (935 students) alongside Catawba Elementary School.
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 Catawba Elementary School compares
Catawba Elementary School 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 | 15.5:1 | ▼ 2% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.1% | ▲ 0% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 450 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
450
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 0% 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
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 56% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.7%
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
$11,517
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 450 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.6 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 62.0%
Hispanic or Latino 16.7%
Two or More 8.7%
African American 7.3%
Asian 5.3%
Largest group: White at 62.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.2, Catawba Elementary School is about as mixed as the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Catawba County Schools, which includes Catawba Elementary School.
$11,517
Per student
-4%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.3%
State 55.4%
Federal 22.2%
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 Catawba Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Stephens High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bandys High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fred T Foard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maiden High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bunker Hill High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Catawba Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,268
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 935
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 930
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 852
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 845
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Catawba
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~450 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Catawba Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Catawba Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Catawba 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 Catawba Elementary School
How many students attend Catawba Elementary School?
Catawba Elementary School has 450 students enrolled. It is a public school in Catawba, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Catawba Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Catawba Elementary School is 15.5:1, which is 2% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 1% 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 Catawba Elementary School?
66.1% of students at Catawba Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Catawba Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Catawba Elementary School is White at 62.0% of enrollment, in Catawba, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Catawba Elementary School?
Catawba Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Catawba Elementary School rank among public schools in Catawba?
By Resource Investment Index, Catawba Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Catawba, 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 Catawba on the city page.
Is Catawba Elementary School a good school?
Catawba Elementary School earns 34/100 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 Catawba County Schools?
Besides Catawba Elementary School, Catawba County Schools also operates Saint Stephens High (1,268 students), Bandys High (935 students), and Fred T Foard High (930 students). See the Catawba 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.