Enrollment
173
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Charlotte, NC
Cato Middle College High School
Federal NCES profile for Cato Middle College High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370297003000
👥 S:T ratio 0
📚 AP courses 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cato Middle College High School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of North Carolina schools.
- #10 of 24
- high schools in Charlotte · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 43.3:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 33.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Cato Middle College High School has class sizes larger than 99% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cato Middle College High School ranks #10 of 24 high schools in Charlotte, NC.
School address
District: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370297003000 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
4.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
43.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+174% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cato Middle College High School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cato Middle College High School
Cato Middle College High School is a small high school in Charlotte, North Carolina, enrolling 173 students.
Class loads run heavy: 43.3:1 is larger than about 99% of North Carolina schools and 174% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.8% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 91% of North Carolina schools, with 173 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 74 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #58, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (46%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 70/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 5 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 173 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Its district draws 15.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Charlotte's high schools, it stands alongside Myers Park High School (3,225 students): Cato Middle College High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (43.3:1 vs 19.7:1).
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools also operates Myers Park High School (3,225 students) and Ardrey Kell High School (3,036 students) alongside Cato Middle College High 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 Cato Middle College High School compares
Cato Middle College High 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 | 43.3:1 | ▲ 174% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.8% | ▼ 49% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 173 | top 91% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
43.3:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
173
Bigger than 17% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% 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
43.3:1
students per teacher
- 174% above state mean
Top 99% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$11,853
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 173 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
African American 45.7%
Hispanic or Latino 24.9%
White 13.3%
Asian 8.7%
Two or More 7.5%
Largest group: African American at 45.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.8, Cato Middle College High School is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 5
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, which includes Cato Middle College High School.
$11,853
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.2%
State 52.1%
Federal 15.6%
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 Cato Middle College High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myers Park High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ardrey Kell High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Mecklenburg High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| William Amos Hough High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Mecklenburg High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cato Middle College High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,225
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 3,036
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,534
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 2,518
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar high schools in Charlotte
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Myers Park High School
Standard public school
3,225 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Ardrey Kell High School
Standard public school
3,036 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
South Mecklenburg High School
Standard public school
2,534 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
East Mecklenburg High School
Standard public school
2,422 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Palisades High School
Standard public school
2,332 students 34.3:1 students per teacher
Julius L. Chambers High School
Standard public school
2,225 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~173 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cato Middle College High School's federal record.
- Compare Cato Middle College High School against another school. Compare schools
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg 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 Cato Middle College High School
How many students attend Cato Middle College High School?
Cato Middle College High School has 173 students enrolled. It is a high school in Charlotte, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cato Middle College High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cato Middle College High School is 43.3:1, which is 174% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 176% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cato Middle College High School?
33.8% of students at Cato Middle College High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cato Middle College High School?
The largest demographic group at Cato Middle College High School is African American at 45.7% of enrollment, in Charlotte, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cato Middle College High School?
Cato Middle College High School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cato Middle College High School rank among high schools in Charlotte?
By Resource Investment Index, Cato Middle College High School ranks #10 of 24 high schools in Charlotte, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Charlotte on the city page.
Is Cato Middle College High School a good school?
Cato Middle College High School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% 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 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools?
Besides Cato Middle College High School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools also operates Myers Park High School (3,225 students), Ardrey Kell High School (3,036 students), and South Mecklenburg High School (2,534 students). See the Charlotte-Mecklenburg 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.