Enrollment
388
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Salisbury, NC
Dole Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Dole Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370405002251
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dole Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 7
- schools in Salisbury · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.4:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 97.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Dole Elementary has class sizes smaller than 73% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dole Elementary ranks #2 of 7 schools in Salisbury, NC.
School address
District: Rowan-Salisbury Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370405002251 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
97.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dole Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dole Elementary
Dole Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Salisbury, North Carolina, enrolling 388 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 97.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 388 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 502 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #141.
Its student body is led by African American (36%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 388 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 103 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 388 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Salisbury's public schools, it stands alongside Granite Quarry Elementary (586 students): Dole Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.4:1 vs 18.3:1).
Rowan-Salisbury Schools also operates Carson High (1,063 students) and West Rowan High (988 students) alongside Dole 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 Dole Elementary compares
Dole 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 | 13.4:1 | ▼ 15% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 97.3% | ▲ 47% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 388 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
388
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
97.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% 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
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 27% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.9%
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
$11,832
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 388 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 100 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.5 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 35.6%
Hispanic or Latino 30.9%
White 22.4%
Two or More 8.2%
Asian 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 35.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.0, Dole Elementary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rowan-Salisbury Schools, which includes Dole Elementary.
$11,832
Per student
-2%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.6%
State 60.4%
Federal 21.0%
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 Dole Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Rowan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Rowan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Rowan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Salisbury High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dole Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,063
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 988
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 986
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 932
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 930
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Salisbury
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Granite Quarry Elementary
Standard public school
586 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Knollwood Elementary
Standard public school
585 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Koontz Elementary
Standard public school
554 students 15:1 students per teacher
Isenberg Elementary
Standard public school
509 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Hurley Elementary
Standard public school
466 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Henderson High
Alternative education program
71 students 6.5:1 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 (~388 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dole Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Dole Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Rowan-Salisbury 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 Dole Elementary
How many students attend Dole Elementary?
Dole Elementary has 388 students enrolled. It is a public school in Salisbury, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dole Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Dole Elementary is 13.4:1, which is 15% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 15% 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 Dole Elementary?
97.3% of students at Dole Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dole Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Dole Elementary is African American at 35.6% of enrollment, in Salisbury, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dole Elementary?
Dole 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 Dole Elementary rank among schools in Salisbury?
By Resource Investment Index, Dole Elementary ranks #2 of 7 schools in Salisbury, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Salisbury on the city page.
Is Dole Elementary a good school?
Dole Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% 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 Rowan-Salisbury Schools?
Besides Dole Elementary, Rowan-Salisbury Schools also operates Carson High (1,063 students), West Rowan High (988 students), and East Rowan High (986 students). See the Rowan-Salisbury 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.