Enrollment
403
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hendersonville, NC
Dana Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Dana Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370210000913
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dana Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #1 of 6
- schools in Hendersonville · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.9:1
- students per teacher
- 74.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Dana Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dana Elementary ranks #1 of 6 schools in Hendersonville, NC.
School address
District: Henderson County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370210000913 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dana Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dana Elementary
Dana Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Hendersonville, North Carolina, enrolling 403 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 74.2% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 403 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 247 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #90.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (56%) and White (39%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 403 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Hendersonville's public schools, it stands alongside Bruce Drysdale Elementary (473 students): Dana Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.9:1 vs 16.3:1).
Henderson County Schools also operates West Henderson High (1,053 students) and North Henderson High (1,052 students) alongside Dana 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 Dana Elementary compares
Dana 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 | 13.9:1 | ▼ 12% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.2% | ▲ 12% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 403 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
403
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 34% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
25.6%
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
$11,469
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 403 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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
Hispanic or Latino 56.3%
White 39.0%
Two or More 3.2%
African American 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 56.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.0, Dana Elementary is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Henderson County Schools, which includes Dana Elementary.
$11,469
Per student
-5%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.8%
State 58.3%
Federal 19.9%
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 Dana Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Henderson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Henderson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Henderson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rugby Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apple Valley Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dana Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,053
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,052
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 932
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 849
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 820
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Hendersonville
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Bruce Drysdale Elementary
Standard public school
473 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Clear Creek Elementary
Standard public school
435 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Sugarloaf Elementary
Standard public school
415 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Edneyville Elementary
Standard public school
405 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Atkinson Elementary
Standard public school
288 students 13.7:1 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 (~403 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dana Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Dana Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Henderson 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 Dana Elementary
How many students attend Dana Elementary?
Dana Elementary has 403 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hendersonville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dana Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Dana Elementary is 13.9:1, which is 12% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 11% 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 Dana Elementary?
74.2% of students at Dana Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dana Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Dana Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 56.3% of enrollment, in Hendersonville, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dana Elementary?
Dana Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Dana Elementary rank among schools in Hendersonville?
By Resource Investment Index, Dana Elementary ranks #1 of 6 schools in Hendersonville, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hendersonville on the city page.
Is Dana Elementary a good school?
Dana Elementary earns 42/100 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 Henderson County Schools?
Besides Dana Elementary, Henderson County Schools also operates West Henderson High (1,053 students), North Henderson High (1,052 students), and East Henderson High (932 students). See the Henderson 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.