Enrollment
936
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Garner, NC
Cleveland Middle
Federal NCES profile for Cleveland Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370237001173
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 6
📋 Attendance 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cleveland Middle earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Garner · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.4:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 32.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Cleveland Middle has class sizes larger than 83% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cleveland Middle ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Garner, NC.
School address
District: Johnston County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370237001173 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cleveland Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cleveland Middle
Cleveland Middle is a large middle school in Garner, North Carolina, enrolling 936 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.4:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 32.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 936 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 301 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #251, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and African American (23%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 468 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 17.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 234 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 936 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Garner's middle schools, it stands alongside East Garner Middle (1,109 students): Cleveland Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.4:1 vs 13.9:1).
Johnston County Public Schools also operates Corinth Holders High (2,187 students) and Clayton High (1,929 students) alongside Cleveland 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 Cleveland Middle compares
Cleveland 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 | 18.4:1 | ▲ 16% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.8% | ▼ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 936 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.4:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
936
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
18.4:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 83% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
27.8%
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
$10,788
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 468 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
138
in-school suspensions + 96 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 46.9%
African American 23.0%
Hispanic or Latino 20.6%
Two or More 6.5%
Asian 2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 46.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.0, Cleveland Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Johnston County Public Schools, which includes Cleveland Middle.
$10,788
Per student
-10%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.7%
State 62.2%
Federal 17.1%
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 Cleveland Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corinth Holders High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clayton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cleveland High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Johnston High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Smithfield-Selma High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cleveland Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,187
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,929
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,889
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,563
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,548
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar middle schools in Garner
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~936 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cleveland Middle's federal record.
- Compare Cleveland Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Johnston County Public 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 Cleveland Middle
How many students attend Cleveland Middle?
Cleveland Middle has 936 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Garner, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cleveland Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Cleveland Middle is 18.4:1, which is 16% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cleveland Middle?
32.8% of students at Cleveland Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cleveland Middle?
The largest demographic group at Cleveland Middle is White at 46.9% of enrollment, in Garner, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cleveland Middle?
Cleveland Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Cleveland Middle rank among middle schools in Garner?
By Resource Investment Index, Cleveland Middle ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Garner, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Garner on the city page.
Is Cleveland Middle a good school?
Cleveland Middle earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 Johnston County Public Schools?
Besides Cleveland Middle, Johnston County Public Schools also operates Corinth Holders High (2,187 students), Clayton High (1,929 students), and Cleveland High (1,889 students). See the Johnston County Public 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.