Enrollment
283
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Southern Pines, NC
Connect Academy
Federal NCES profile for Connect Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370309003571
👥 S:T ratio 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Connect Academy earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of North Carolina schools.
- #4 of 5
- public schools in Southern Pines · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.7:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 42.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Connect Academy has class sizes larger than 78% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Connect Academy ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Southern Pines, NC.
School address
District: Moore County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370309003571 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Connect Academy compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Connect Academy
Connect Academy is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Southern Pines, North Carolina, enrolling 283 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.7:1 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 42.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 283 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 188 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #185, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (72%) and African American (12%) (diversity index 46/100).
Its district draws 19.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Southern Pines's public schools, it stands alongside Southern Pines Elementary (600 students): Connect Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.7:1 vs 14.3:1).
Moore County Schools also operates Pinecrest High (2,290 students) and Union Pines High (1,462 students) alongside Connect Academy.
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 Connect Academy compares
Connect Academy 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 | 17.7:1 | ▲ 12% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.6% | ▼ 35% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 283 | top 79% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.7:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
283
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
17.7:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 78% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$11,242
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.
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 71.7%
African American 12.4%
Hispanic or Latino 7.4%
Two or More 6.7%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: White at 71.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.0, Connect Academy is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Moore County Schools, which includes Connect Academy.
$11,242
Per student
-6%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.6%
State 57.2%
Federal 19.2%
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 Connect Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinecrest High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Union Pines High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Pine Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mcdeeds Creek Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Aberdeen Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Connect Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,290
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,462
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 717
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 707
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 675
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools in Southern Pines
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~283 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Connect Academy's federal record.
- Compare Connect Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Moore 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 Connect Academy
How many students attend Connect Academy?
Connect Academy has 283 students enrolled. It is a public school in Southern Pines, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Connect Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Connect Academy is 17.7:1, which is 12% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Connect Academy?
42.6% of students at Connect Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Connect Academy?
The largest demographic group at Connect Academy is White at 71.7% of enrollment, in Southern Pines, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Connect Academy?
Connect Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 1 factor: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Connect Academy rank among public schools in Southern Pines?
By Resource Investment Index, Connect Academy ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Southern Pines, 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 Southern Pines on the city page.
Is Connect Academy a good school?
Connect Academy earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% 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 Moore County Schools?
Besides Connect Academy, Moore County Schools also operates Pinecrest High (2,290 students), Union Pines High (1,462 students), and West Pine Middle (717 students). See the Moore 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.