Enrollment
502
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Dobson, NC
Central Middle
Federal NCES profile for Central Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370441002279
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 15
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Middle earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #7 of 7
- public schools in Dobson · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 61.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Middle has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Middle ranks #7 of 7 public schools in Dobson, NC.
School address
District: Surry County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370441002279 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Middle
Central Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Dobson, North Carolina, enrolling 502 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 61.8% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 502 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 454 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #371, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and Hispanic or Latino (40%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 502 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 154 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 502 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Surry County Schools also operates North Surry High (792 students) and Surry Central High (679 students) alongside Central Middle.
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 Middle compares
Central Middle 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 | 14.3:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.8% | ▼ 6% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 502 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
502
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% below 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
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 39% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
34.1%
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
$12,638
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 502 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
103
in-school suspensions + 51 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 20.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 30.7 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 56.2%
Hispanic or Latino 39.6%
Two or More 2.4%
Asian 0.8%
African American 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 56.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.7, Central Middle is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Surry County Schools, which includes Central Middle.
$12,638
Per student
+5%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 15.6%
State 60.1%
Federal 24.3%
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 Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Surry High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Surry Central High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Surry High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Franklin Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pilot Mountain Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 792
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 679
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 576
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 473
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 401
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar middle 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 (~502 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Middle's federal record.
- Compare Central Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Surry 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 Middle
How many students attend Central Middle?
Central Middle has 502 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Dobson, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Middle is 14.3:1, which is 9% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 9% 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 Middle?
61.8% of students at Central Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Middle?
The largest demographic group at Central Middle is White at 56.2% of enrollment, in Dobson, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Middle?
Central Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Central Middle rank among public schools in Dobson?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Middle ranks #7 of 7 public schools in Dobson, 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 Dobson on the city page.
Is Central Middle a good school?
Central Middle earns 32/100 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 Surry County Schools?
Besides Central Middle, Surry County Schools also operates North Surry High (792 students), Surry Central High (679 students), and East Surry High (576 students). See the Surry 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.