Enrollment
525
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Albemarle, NC
Central Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370432000024
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #3 of 3
- elementary schools in Albemarle · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 99.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Albemarle, NC.
School address
District: Stanly County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370432000024 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Elementary
Central Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Albemarle, North Carolina, enrolling 525 students.
At 15.4:1, 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.
Economic need is high: 99.5% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 525 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 563 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #510, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (33%) and African American (33%) (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 525 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Albemarle's elementary schools, it stands alongside East Albemarle Elementary (261 students): Central Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.4:1 vs 12.4:1).
Stanly County Schools also operates West Stanly High (800 students) and West Stanly Middle School (662 students) alongside Central 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 Central Elementary compares
Central 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 | 15.4:1 | ▼ 3% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.5% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 525 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
525
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 55% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
44.8%
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
$11,496
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 525 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
22
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.0 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 33.1%
African American 33.1%
Hispanic or Latino 16.0%
Two or More 14.3%
Asian 3.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 33.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.4, Central 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 Stanly County Schools, which includes Central Elementary.
$11,496
Per student
-4%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.7%
State 60.2%
Federal 21.1%
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 Central Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Stanly High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Stanly Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Stanly High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Locust Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Stanfield Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 800
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 662
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 568
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 563
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 483
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools in Albemarle
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~525 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Stanly 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 Central Elementary
How many students attend Central Elementary?
Central Elementary has 525 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Albemarle, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary is 15.4:1, which is 3% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 2% 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 Central Elementary?
99.5% of students at Central Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Central Elementary is African American at 33.1% of enrollment, in Albemarle, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary?
Central Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 Central Elementary rank among elementary schools in Albemarle?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Albemarle, 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 Albemarle on the city page.
Is Central Elementary a good school?
Central Elementary earns 27/100 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 Stanly County Schools?
Besides Central Elementary, Stanly County Schools also operates West Stanly High (800 students), West Stanly Middle School (662 students), and North Stanly High (568 students). See the Stanly 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.