Enrollment
447
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Clayton, NC
Cooper Academy
Federal NCES profile for Cooper Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370237000810
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 11
📋 Attendance 51
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cooper Academy earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 91% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 7
- schools in Clayton · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.2:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 62.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Cooper Academy has class sizes smaller than 91% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cooper Academy ranks #2 of 7 schools in Clayton, NC.
School address
District: Johnston County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370237000810 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.2:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cooper Academy compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cooper Academy
Cooper Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Clayton, North Carolina, enrolling 447 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.2:1, Cooper Academy is leaner than roughly 91% of North Carolina schools and 29% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 62.8% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 447 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 437 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #79.
Its student body is led by African American (36%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 447 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights 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.
Among Clayton's public schools, it stands alongside American Leadership Academy - Johnston (2,082 students): Cooper Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Johnston County Public Schools also operates Corinth Holders High (2,187 students) and Clayton High (1,929 students) alongside Cooper 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 Cooper Academy compares
Cooper 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 | 11.2:1 | ▼ 29% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.8% | ▼ 5% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 447 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.2:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
447
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% 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
11.2:1
students per teacher
- 29% below state mean
Top 9% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 91% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
19.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 447 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 25 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.3 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 36.0%
Hispanic or Latino 29.5%
White 24.8%
Two or More 8.7%
Asian 0.9%
Largest group: African American at 36.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.4, Cooper Academy 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 Cooper Academy.
$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 Cooper Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corinth Holders High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clayton High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cleveland High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Johnston High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Smithfield-Selma High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cooper Academy'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 other schools in Clayton
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
American Leadership Academy - Johnston
Standard public school
2,082 students
River Dell Elementary
Standard public school
981 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Cleveland Elementary
Standard public school
851 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
West Clayton Elementary
Standard public school
742 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Riverwood Elementary
Standard public school
728 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Powhatan Elementary
Standard public school
656 students 15.6:1 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 (~447 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cooper Academy's federal record.
- Compare Cooper Academy 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 Cooper Academy
How many students attend Cooper Academy?
Cooper Academy has 447 students enrolled. It is a public school in Clayton, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cooper Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Cooper Academy is 11.2:1, which is 29% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 29% 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 Cooper Academy?
62.8% of students at Cooper Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cooper Academy?
The largest demographic group at Cooper Academy is African American at 36.0% of enrollment, in Clayton, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cooper Academy?
Cooper Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Cooper Academy rank among schools in Clayton?
By Resource Investment Index, Cooper Academy ranks #2 of 7 schools in Clayton, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Clayton on the city page.
Is Cooper Academy a good school?
Cooper Academy earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 91% 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 Cooper Academy, 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.