- Enrollment
- 881
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Cullowhee, NC
Cullowhee Valley School
Federal NCES profile for Cullowhee Valley School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370234001002
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cullowhee Valley School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of North Carolina schools.
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 64.5%
- free-lunch eligible
- 570
- students enrolled
Cullowhee Valley School has class sizes smaller than 78% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Jackson County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370234001002 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-10 students YoY
Cullowhee Valley School held near 609 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-10 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 44.0 → 41.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-10 students YoY 370234001002 · Cullowhee, NC Other · MID · TRAD
570 enr · 13:1 · 64.5% lunch · RII 40
Nearest enrollment peer: Smoky Mountain High School (881 students)
Cullowhee Valley School held near 609 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-10 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 44.0 → 41.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Cullowhee Valley School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Smoky Mountain
Smoky Mountain High School
881 students
- Fairview Eleme
Fairview Elementary
797 students
- This school
Cullowhee Valley School
570 students
- Scotts Creek E
Scotts Creek Elementary
422 students
- Smokey Mountai 340
Smokey Mountain Elementary
340 students
- Blue Ridge Sch 144
Blue Ridge School
144 students
What this shows Cullowhee Valley School reports 570 students on the CCD universe file.
How Cullowhee Valley School compares
Cullowhee Valley School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13:1 | ▼ 18% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.5% | ▼ 2% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 570 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13:1
Leaner classes than 67% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
570
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
64.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% 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
13:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 22% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
56.5%
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
$13,568
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,294
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 285 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
29
in-school suspensions + 38 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 59.8%
Hispanic or Latino 30.0%
Two or More 4.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.9%
African American 0.9%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 59.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.8, Cullowhee Valley School is about as mixed as the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Jackson County Public Schools reports $13,568 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Cullowhee Valley School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoky Mountain High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fairview Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Scotts Creek Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Smokey Mountain Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Blue Ridge School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cullowhee Valley School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 797
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 422
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 340
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 144
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~570 students)
Frequently asked questions about Cullowhee Valley School
How many students attend Cullowhee Valley School?
Cullowhee Valley School has 570 students enrolled. It is a public school in Cullowhee, NC. CCD year-over-year: 619 (2022-23) → 609 (2023-24), nearly flat (-10).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cullowhee Valley School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cullowhee Valley School is 13:1, which is 18% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 17% 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 Cullowhee Valley School?
64.5% of students at Cullowhee Valley School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cullowhee Valley School?
The largest demographic group at Cullowhee Valley School is White at 59.8% of enrollment, in Cullowhee, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cullowhee Valley School?
Cullowhee Valley School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Jackson County Public Schools?
Besides Cullowhee Valley School, Jackson County Public Schools also operates Smoky Mountain High School (881 students), Fairview Elementary (797 students), and Scotts Creek Elementary (422 students). See the Jackson County Public Schools district page for the complete list.