Enrollment
477
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Morganton, NC
Drexel Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Drexel Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370048002705
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 5
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Drexel Elementary earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #12 of 12
- schools in Morganton · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.9:1
- students per teacher
- 71.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Drexel Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Drexel Elementary ranks #12 of 12 schools in Morganton, NC.
School address
District: Burke County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370048002705 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.0%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Drexel Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Drexel Elementary
Drexel Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Morganton, North Carolina, enrolling 477 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.9:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 71.0% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 477 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 332 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #309, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (66%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 477 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Morganton's public schools, it stands alongside Mountain View Elementary (762 students): Drexel Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.9:1 vs 17.7:1).
Burke County Schools also operates Freedom High (1,299 students) and East Burke High (874 students) alongside Drexel 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 Drexel Elementary compares
Drexel 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 | 15.9:1 | ▲ 1% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.0% | ▲ 8% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 477 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
477
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% 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
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 61% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
43.8%
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
$11,845
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 477 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.2 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
White 66.2%
Hispanic or Latino 11.5%
Asian 8.6%
Two or More 7.3%
African American 4.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: White at 66.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.3, Drexel 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 Burke County Schools, which includes Drexel Elementary.
$11,845
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 15.2%
State 61.7%
Federal 23.1%
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 Drexel Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Burke High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Robert L. Patton High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jimmy C Draughn High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Drexel Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,299
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 874
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 762
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 756
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar other schools in Morganton
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Mountain View Elementary
Standard public school
762 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Salem Elementary
Standard public school
476 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
W a Young Elementary
Standard public school
327 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Oak Hill Elementary
Standard public school
310 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Forest Hill Elementary
Standard public school
305 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Glen Alpine Elementary
Standard public school
295 students 12.8:1 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 (~477 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Drexel Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Drexel Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Burke 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 Drexel Elementary
How many students attend Drexel Elementary?
Drexel Elementary has 477 students enrolled. It is a public school in Morganton, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Drexel Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Drexel Elementary is 15.9:1, which is 1% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Drexel Elementary?
71.0% of students at Drexel Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Drexel Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Drexel Elementary is White at 66.2% of enrollment, in Morganton, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Drexel Elementary?
Drexel Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower 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 Drexel Elementary rank among schools in Morganton?
By Resource Investment Index, Drexel Elementary ranks #12 of 12 schools in Morganton, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Morganton on the city page.
Is Drexel Elementary a good school?
Drexel Elementary earns 28/100 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 Burke County Schools?
Besides Drexel Elementary, Burke County Schools also operates Freedom High (1,299 students), East Burke High (874 students), and Mountain View Elementary (762 students). See the Burke 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.