Enrollment
459
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Fayetteville, NC
College Lakes Elementary
Federal NCES profile for College Lakes Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370001100408
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 8
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
College Lakes Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% of North Carolina schools.
- #13 of 14
- elementary schools in Fayetteville · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.4:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 99.3%
- free-lunch eligible
College Lakes Elementary has class sizes smaller than 85% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, College Lakes Elementary ranks #13 of 14 elementary schools in Fayetteville, NC.
School address
District: Cumberland County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370001100408 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How College Lakes Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at College Lakes Elementary
College Lakes Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Fayetteville, North Carolina, enrolling 459 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12.4:1, College Lakes Elementary is leaner than roughly 85% of North Carolina schools and 22% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 99.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 459 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 540 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #385, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (64%) and White (12%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 459 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 25.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Fayetteville's elementary schools, it stands alongside E Melvin Honeycutt Elementary (782 students): College Lakes Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.4:1 vs 14:1).
Cumberland County Schools also operates Jack Britt High (1,940 students) and Pine Forest High (1,551 students) alongside College Lakes 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 College Lakes Elementary compares
College Lakes 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 | 12.4:1 | ▼ 22% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.3% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 459 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 72% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
459
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 15% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 85% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
44.0%
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
$12,412
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 459 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 41 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.9 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
African American 63.6%
White 11.8%
Hispanic or Latino 11.1%
Two or More 11.1%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 63.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.7, College Lakes Elementary is about as mixed as the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cumberland County Schools, which includes College Lakes Elementary.
$12,412
Per student
+3%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.5%
State 57.7%
Federal 25.7%
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 College Lakes Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Britt High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pine Forest High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cape Fear High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South View High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gray's Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to College Lakes Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,940
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,551
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,515
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,461
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,458
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar elementary schools in Fayetteville
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
E Melvin Honeycutt Elementary
Standard public school
782 students 14:1 students per teacher
Stoney Point Elementary
Standard public school
780 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Howard L Hall Elementary
Standard public school
539 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Vanstory Hills Elementary
Standard public school
514 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Morganton Road Elementary
Standard public school
491 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Long Hill Elementary
Standard public school
412 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
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 (~459 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on College Lakes Elementary's federal record.
- Compare College Lakes Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Cumberland 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 College Lakes Elementary
How many students attend College Lakes Elementary?
College Lakes Elementary has 459 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Fayetteville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at College Lakes Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at College Lakes Elementary is 12.4:1, which is 22% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 21% 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 College Lakes Elementary?
99.3% of students at College Lakes Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of College Lakes Elementary?
The largest demographic group at College Lakes Elementary is African American at 63.6% of enrollment, in Fayetteville, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for College Lakes Elementary?
College Lakes Elementary 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 College Lakes Elementary rank among elementary schools in Fayetteville?
By Resource Investment Index, College Lakes Elementary ranks #13 of 14 elementary schools in Fayetteville, 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 Fayetteville on the city page.
Is College Lakes Elementary a good school?
College Lakes Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% 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 Cumberland County Schools?
Besides College Lakes Elementary, Cumberland County Schools also operates Jack Britt High (1,940 students), Pine Forest High (1,551 students), and Cape Fear High (1,515 students). See the Cumberland 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.