Enrollment
628
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Raeford, NC
Don D Steed Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Don D Steed Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370225002997
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Don D Steed Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 6
- schools in Raeford · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.1:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 99.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Don D Steed Elementary has class sizes smaller than 87% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Don D Steed Elementary ranks #2 of 6 schools in Raeford, NC.
School address
District: Hoke County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370225002997 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Don D Steed Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Don D Steed Elementary
Don D Steed Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Raeford, North Carolina, enrolling 628 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12.1:1, Don D Steed Elementary is leaner than roughly 87% of North Carolina schools and 23% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 99.6% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 628 puts it in the larger 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 519 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #67.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (32%) and White (28%) (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 628 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 24.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Raeford's public schools, it stands alongside Upchurch Elementary (646 students): Don D Steed Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.1:1 vs 14.7:1).
Hoke County Schools also operates Hoke County High (2,110 students) and East Hoke Middle (771 students) alongside Don D Steed 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 Don D Steed Elementary compares
Don D Steed 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 | 12.1:1 | ▼ 23% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.6% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 628 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.1:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
628
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.1:1
students per teacher
- 23% below state mean
Top 13% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
18.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,383
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 628 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 36 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.1 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 32.0%
White 27.5%
African American 27.5%
Two or More 10.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 32.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.5, Don D Steed 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 Hoke County Schools, which includes Don D Steed Elementary.
$11,383
Per student
-5%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 9.6%
State 65.9%
Federal 24.5%
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 Don D Steed Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoke County High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Hoke Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Hoke Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Upchurch Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Scurlock Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Don D Steed Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,110
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 771
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 656
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 646
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 611
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar other schools in Raeford
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Upchurch Elementary
Standard public school
646 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Scurlock Elementary
Standard public school
611 students 12.7:1 students per teacher
Rockfish Hoke Elementary
Standard public school
606 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
West Hoke Elementary
Standard public school
467 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
J W Turlington School
Alternative education program
26 students 5.2:1 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 (~628 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Don D Steed Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Don D Steed Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Hoke 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 Don D Steed Elementary
How many students attend Don D Steed Elementary?
Don D Steed Elementary has 628 students enrolled. It is a public school in Raeford, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Don D Steed Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Don D Steed Elementary is 12.1:1, which is 23% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 23% 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 Don D Steed Elementary?
99.6% of students at Don D Steed Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Don D Steed Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Don D Steed Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 32.0% of enrollment, in Raeford, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Don D Steed Elementary?
Don D Steed Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Don D Steed Elementary rank among schools in Raeford?
By Resource Investment Index, Don D Steed Elementary ranks #2 of 6 schools in Raeford, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Raeford on the city page.
Is Don D Steed Elementary a good school?
Don D Steed Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% 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 Hoke County Schools?
Besides Don D Steed Elementary, Hoke County Schools also operates Hoke County High (2,110 students), East Hoke Middle (771 students), and West Hoke Middle (656 students). See the Hoke 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.