Enrollment
498
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Louisburg, NC
Edward Best Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Edward Best Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370153000653
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Edward Best Elementary earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #4 of 4
- schools in Louisburg · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.6:1
- students per teacher
- 67.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Edward Best Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Edward Best Elementary ranks #4 of 4 schools in Louisburg, NC.
School address
District: Franklin County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370153000653 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Edward Best Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Edward Best Elementary
Edward Best Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Louisburg, North Carolina, enrolling 498 students.
At 14.6:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 67.4% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 498 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 389 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #364, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (43%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 498 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.6% 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 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Louisburg's public schools, it stands alongside Louisburg Elementary (387 students): Edward Best Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.6:1 vs 11.4:1).
Franklin County Schools also operates Franklinton High (1,127 students) and Bunn High (817 students) alongside Edward Best 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 Edward Best Elementary compares
Edward Best 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 | 14.6:1 | ▼ 8% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.4% | ▲ 2% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 498 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
498
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% 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
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 43% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
40.2%
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
$12,156
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 498 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 42.6%
Hispanic or Latino 27.1%
African American 23.1%
Two or More 7.0%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 42.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.7, Edward Best 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 Franklin County Schools, which includes Edward Best Elementary.
$12,156
Per student
+1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.3%
State 57.1%
Federal 19.6%
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 Edward Best Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklinton High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bunn High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Louisburg Magnet High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bunn Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bunn Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Edward Best Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,127
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 817
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 630
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 618
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 600
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar other schools in Louisburg
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~498 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Edward Best Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Edward Best Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Franklin 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 Edward Best Elementary
How many students attend Edward Best Elementary?
Edward Best Elementary has 498 students enrolled. It is a public school in Louisburg, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Edward Best Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Edward Best Elementary is 14.6:1, which is 8% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 7% 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 Edward Best Elementary?
67.4% of students at Edward Best Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Edward Best Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Edward Best Elementary is White at 42.6% of enrollment, in Louisburg, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Edward Best Elementary?
Edward Best 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 Edward Best Elementary rank among schools in Louisburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Edward Best Elementary ranks #4 of 4 schools in Louisburg, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Louisburg on the city page.
Is Edward Best Elementary a good school?
Edward Best 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 Franklin County Schools?
Besides Edward Best Elementary, Franklin County Schools also operates Franklinton High (1,127 students), Bunn High (817 students), and Louisburg Magnet High (630 students). See the Franklin 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.