Enrollment
592
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · China Grove, NC
China Grove Elementary
Federal NCES profile for China Grove Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370405001612
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
China Grove Elementary earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of North Carolina schools.
- #5 of 6
- public schools in China Grove · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.9:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 68.4%
- free-lunch eligible
China Grove Elementary has class sizes larger than 80% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, China Grove Elementary ranks #5 of 6 public schools in China Grove, NC.
School address
District: Rowan-Salisbury Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370405001612 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How China Grove Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at China Grove Elementary
China Grove Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in China Grove, North Carolina, enrolling 592 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.9:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 68.4% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 592 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 360 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #328, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 592 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Rowan-Salisbury Schools also operates Carson High (1,063 students) and West Rowan High (988 students) alongside China Grove 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 China Grove Elementary compares
China Grove 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 | 17.9:1 | ▲ 13% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.4% | ▲ 4% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 592 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
592
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% 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
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 80% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
33.8%
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
$11,832
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 592 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.7 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 55.1%
Hispanic or Latino 29.1%
African American 7.9%
Two or More 7.8%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 55.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.9, China Grove 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 Rowan-Salisbury Schools, which includes China Grove Elementary.
$11,832
Per student
-2%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.6%
State 60.4%
Federal 21.0%
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 China Grove Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Rowan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Rowan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Rowan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Salisbury High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to China Grove Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,063
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 988
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 986
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 932
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 930
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
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 (~592 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on China Grove Elementary's federal record.
- Compare China Grove Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Rowan-Salisbury 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 China Grove Elementary
How many students attend China Grove Elementary?
China Grove Elementary has 592 students enrolled. It is a public school in China Grove, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at China Grove Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at China Grove Elementary is 17.9:1, which is 13% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at China Grove Elementary?
68.4% of students at China Grove Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of China Grove Elementary?
The largest demographic group at China Grove Elementary is White at 55.1% of enrollment, in China Grove, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for China Grove Elementary?
China Grove Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (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 China Grove Elementary rank among public schools in China Grove?
By Resource Investment Index, China Grove Elementary ranks #5 of 6 public schools in China Grove, 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 China Grove on the city page.
Is China Grove Elementary a good school?
China Grove Elementary earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% 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 Rowan-Salisbury Schools?
Besides China Grove Elementary, Rowan-Salisbury Schools also operates Carson High (1,063 students), West Rowan High (988 students), and East Rowan High (986 students). See the Rowan-Salisbury 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.