Enrollment
695
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Raleigh, NC
Combs Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Combs Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370472001846
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 52
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Combs Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #17 of 52
- schools in Raleigh · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 37.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Combs Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Combs Elementary ranks #17 of 52 schools in Raleigh, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472001846 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Combs Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Combs Elementary
Combs Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Raleigh, North Carolina, enrolling 695 students.
At 14.8:1, 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 runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 37.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 695 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 407 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #68.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and African American (23%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 348 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Raleigh's public schools, it stands alongside Harris Creek Elementary (827 students): Combs Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.8:1 vs 13.6:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside Combs 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 Combs Elementary compares
Combs 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 | 14.8:1 | ▼ 6% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.1% | ▼ 44% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 695 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
695
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 46% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
19.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,859
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 348 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 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
White 43.7%
African American 22.6%
Hispanic or Latino 16.8%
Asian 12.4%
Two or More 4.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 43.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.3, Combs 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 Wake County Schools, which includes Combs Elementary.
$11,859
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 54.5%
Federal 16.6%
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 Combs Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Friendship High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enloe High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Panther Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millbrook High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Combs Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,748
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,643
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,609
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,498
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,449
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Raleigh
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Harris Creek Elementary
Standard public school
827 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Abbotts Creek Elementary
Standard public school
805 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Sycamore Creek Elementary
Standard public school
778 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Rogers Lane Elementary
Standard public school
763 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
North Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
730 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
River Bend Elementary
Standard public school
709 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
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 (~695 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Combs Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Combs Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Wake 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 Combs Elementary
How many students attend Combs Elementary?
Combs Elementary has 695 students enrolled. It is a public school in Raleigh, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Combs Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Combs Elementary is 14.8:1, which is 6% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 6% 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 Combs Elementary?
37.1% of students at Combs Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Combs Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Combs Elementary is White at 43.7% of enrollment, in Raleigh, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Combs Elementary?
Combs Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Combs Elementary rank among schools in Raleigh?
By Resource Investment Index, Combs Elementary ranks #17 of 52 schools in Raleigh, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Raleigh on the city page.
Is Combs Elementary a good school?
Combs Elementary earns 48/100 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 Wake County Schools?
Besides Combs Elementary, Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students), Enloe High (2,643 students), and Panther Creek High (2,609 students). See the Wake 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.