Enrollment
2,422
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Charlotte, NC
East Mecklenburg High School
Federal NCES profile for East Mecklenburg High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370297001214
👥 S:T ratio 21
📚 AP courses 85
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
East Mecklenburg High School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #20 of 24
- high schools in Charlotte · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.7:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 42.2%
- free-lunch eligible
East Mecklenburg High School has class sizes larger than 89% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, East Mecklenburg High School ranks #20 of 24 high schools in Charlotte, NC.
School address
District: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370297001214 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
123.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How East Mecklenburg High School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at East Mecklenburg High School
East Mecklenburg High School is a large high school in Charlotte, North Carolina, enrolling 2,422 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.7:1 is larger than about 89% of North Carolina schools and 25% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 42.2% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,422 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 55 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #42, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (41%) and African American (31%) (diversity index 70/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 17 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 404 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Charlotte's high schools, it stands alongside Myers Park High School (3,225 students): East Mecklenburg High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.7:1 vs 19.7:1).
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools also operates Myers Park High School (3,225 students) and Ardrey Kell High School (3,036 students) alongside East Mecklenburg High School.
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 East Mecklenburg High School compares
East Mecklenburg High School 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 | 19.7:1 | ▲ 25% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.2% | ▼ 36% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,422 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.7:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,422
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% 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
19.7:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 89% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
30.8%
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
$11,853
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 404 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
142
in-school suspensions + 204 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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
Hispanic or Latino 40.5%
African American 30.7%
White 20.3%
Asian 5.8%
Two or More 2.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 40.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.7, East Mecklenburg High School is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 17
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, which includes East Mecklenburg High School.
$11,853
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.2%
State 52.1%
Federal 15.6%
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 East Mecklenburg High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myers Park High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ardrey Kell High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Mecklenburg High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| William Amos Hough High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palisades High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to East Mecklenburg High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,225
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 3,036
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,534
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 2,518
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,332
- Students per teacher
- 34.3:1
- Resource Index
- 0/100
Similar high schools in Charlotte
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Myers Park High School
Standard public school
3,225 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Ardrey Kell High School
Standard public school
3,036 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
South Mecklenburg High School
Standard public school
2,534 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Palisades High School
Standard public school
2,332 students 34.3:1 students per teacher
Julius L. Chambers High School
Standard public school
2,225 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Providence High School
Standard public school
2,167 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~2,422 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on East Mecklenburg High School's federal record.
- Compare East Mecklenburg High School against another school. Compare schools
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg 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 East Mecklenburg High School
How many students attend East Mecklenburg High School?
East Mecklenburg High School has 2,422 students enrolled. It is a high school in Charlotte, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at East Mecklenburg High School?
The student-teacher ratio at East Mecklenburg High School is 19.7:1, which is 25% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at East Mecklenburg High School?
42.2% of students at East Mecklenburg High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of East Mecklenburg High School?
The largest demographic group at East Mecklenburg High School is Hispanic or Latino at 40.5% of enrollment, in Charlotte, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for East Mecklenburg High School?
East Mecklenburg High School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does East Mecklenburg High School rank among high schools in Charlotte?
By Resource Investment Index, East Mecklenburg High School ranks #20 of 24 high schools in Charlotte, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Charlotte on the city page.
Is East Mecklenburg High School a good school?
East Mecklenburg High School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina. 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 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools?
Besides East Mecklenburg High School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools also operates Myers Park High School (3,225 students), Ardrey Kell High School (3,036 students), and South Mecklenburg High School (2,534 students). See the Charlotte-Mecklenburg 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.