Enrollment
536
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sanford, NC
Central Carolina Academy
Federal NCES profile for Central Carolina Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 0/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370047803616Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Carolina Academy earns 0/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of North Carolina schools.
- #5 of 5
- schools in Sanford · Resource Index
- 0
- Resource Index · Lower
- 31.5:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 24.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Carolina Academy has class sizes larger than 98% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Carolina Academy ranks #5 of 5 schools in Sanford, NC.
School address
District: Central Carolina Academy · North Carolina
NCES ID 370047803616 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
31.5:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+99% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-63% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Carolina Academy compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Carolina Academy
Central Carolina Academy is a mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Sanford, North Carolina, enrolling 536 students.
Class loads run heavy: 31.5:1 is larger than about 98% of North Carolina schools and 99% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 24.3% free-meal eligibility runs 63% below the North Carolina average.
With 536 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 100% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 234 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #234, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 47/100).
Among Sanford's public schools, it stands alongside Benhaven Elementary (1,065 students): Central Carolina Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (31.5:1 vs 15:1).
Central Carolina Academy is a single-school charter district, so Central Carolina Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Central Carolina Academy compares
Central Carolina Academy 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 | 31.5:1 | ▲ 99% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.3% | ▼ 63% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 536 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
31.5:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
536
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 63% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
31.5:1
students per teacher
- 99% above state mean
Top 98% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
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 70.3%
Hispanic or Latino 15.3%
Two or More 9.3%
African American 4.9%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 70.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.1, Central Carolina Academy is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Similar other schools in Sanford
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Benhaven Elementary
Standard public school
1,065 students 15:1 students per teacher
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County
Standard public school
628 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Floyd L Knight Children Center
Special-education school
95 students 7.3:1 students per teacher
Bragg Street Academy
Alternative education program
40 students 4:1 students per teacher
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 (~536 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~31.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Carolina Academy's federal record.
- Compare Central Carolina Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Central Carolina Academy'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 Central Carolina Academy
How many students attend Central Carolina Academy?
Central Carolina Academy has 536 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sanford, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Carolina Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Carolina Academy is 31.5:1, which is 99% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 101% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Carolina Academy?
24.3% of students at Central Carolina Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Carolina Academy?
The largest demographic group at Central Carolina Academy is White at 70.3% of enrollment, in Sanford, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Carolina Academy?
Central Carolina Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 0/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 1 factor: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Central Carolina Academy rank among schools in Sanford?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Carolina Academy ranks #5 of 5 schools in Sanford, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Sanford on the city page.
Is Central Carolina Academy a good school?
Central Carolina Academy earns 0/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% 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 Central Carolina Academy?
None; Central Carolina Academy is a single-school charter district, and Central Carolina Academy is its only campus.
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.