Enrollment
977
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Raleigh, NC
Dillard Drive Middle
Federal NCES profile for Dillard Drive Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370472002488
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 73
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dillard Drive Middle earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #3 of 17
- middle schools in Raleigh · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15:1
- students per teacher
- 46.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Dillard Drive Middle has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dillard Drive Middle ranks #3 of 17 middle schools in Raleigh, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472002488 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
65.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dillard Drive Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dillard Drive Middle
Dillard Drive Middle is a large middle school in Raleigh, North Carolina, enrolling 977 students.
At 15:1, 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 46.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 977 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.
Among 340 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #3, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (39%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%) (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 326 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
10.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 668 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 977 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Raleigh's middle schools, it stands alongside West Millbrook Middle (1,164 students): Dillard Drive Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15:1 vs 18.8:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside Dillard Drive Middle.
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 Dillard Drive Middle compares
Dillard Drive Middle 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 | 15:1 | ▼ 5% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.2% | ▼ 30% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 977 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
977
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% 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
15:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 49% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
10.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 326 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
391
in-school suspensions + 277 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 40.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 68.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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 39.0%
Hispanic or Latino 28.5%
African American 24.7%
Asian 4.6%
Two or More 3.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 39.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.3, Dillard Drive Middle 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 Dillard Drive Middle.
$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 Dillard Drive Middle 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 | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dillard Drive Middle'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 middle schools in Raleigh
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
West Millbrook Middle
Standard public school
1,164 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Oberlin Middle
Standard public school
1,049 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Martin Middle
Standard public school
1,011 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
River Bend Middle
Standard public school
995 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Ligon Middle
Standard public school
959 students 16:1 students per teacher
Carnage Middle
Standard public school
924 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~977 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dillard Drive Middle's federal record.
- Compare Dillard Drive Middle 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 Dillard Drive Middle
How many students attend Dillard Drive Middle?
Dillard Drive Middle has 977 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Raleigh, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dillard Drive Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Dillard Drive Middle is 15:1, which is 5% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 4% 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 Dillard Drive Middle?
46.2% of students at Dillard Drive Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dillard Drive Middle?
The largest demographic group at Dillard Drive Middle is White at 39.0% of enrollment, in Raleigh, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dillard Drive Middle?
Dillard Drive Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher 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 Dillard Drive Middle rank among middle schools in Raleigh?
By Resource Investment Index, Dillard Drive Middle ranks #3 of 17 middle 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 middle schools in Raleigh on the city page.
Is Dillard Drive Middle a good school?
Dillard Drive Middle earns 54/100 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 Dillard Drive Middle, 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.