Enrollment
2,243
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Wilmington, NC
Emsley a Laney High
Federal NCES profile for Emsley a Laney High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370333001373
👥 S:T ratio 24
📚 AP courses 75
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Emsley a Laney High earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #4 of 5
- high schools in Wilmington · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 39.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Emsley a Laney High has class sizes larger than 86% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Emsley a Laney High ranks #4 of 5 high schools in Wilmington, NC.
School address
District: New Hanover County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370333001373 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
118.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Emsley a Laney High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Emsley a Laney High
Emsley a Laney High is a large high school in Wilmington, North Carolina, enrolling 2,243 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19:1 is larger than about 86% of North Carolina schools and 20% 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 39.1% 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 2,243 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 62 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #15.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%) (diversity index 62/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 15 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 320 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Wilmington's high schools, it stands alongside John T Hoggard High (2,082 students): Emsley a Laney High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19:1 vs 18.6:1).
New Hanover County Schools also operates John T Hoggard High (2,082 students) and Eugene Ashley High (1,893 students) alongside Emsley a Laney High.
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 Emsley a Laney High compares
Emsley a Laney High 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 | 19:1 | ▲ 20% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.1% | ▼ 41% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,243 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,243
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 86% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
30.0%
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
$13,724
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 320 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
224
in-school suspensions + 159 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.1 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
White 55.4%
Hispanic or Latino 18.5%
African American 18.2%
Two or More 5.9%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 55.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.2, Emsley a Laney High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 15
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for New Hanover County Schools, which includes Emsley a Laney High.
$13,724
Per student
+14%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.4%
State 51.7%
Federal 18.8%
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 Emsley a Laney High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John T Hoggard High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eugene Ashley High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| New Hanover High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Charles P Murray Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roland-Grise Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Emsley a Laney High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,082
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,893
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,437
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 907
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 878
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar high schools in Wilmington
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
John T Hoggard High
Standard public school
2,082 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
Eugene Ashley High
Standard public school
1,893 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
New Hanover High
Standard public school
1,437 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Isaac M Bear Early College High School
Standard public school
260 students 26:1 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 (~2,243 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Emsley a Laney High's federal record.
- Compare Emsley a Laney High against another school. Compare schools
- New Hanover 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 Emsley a Laney High
How many students attend Emsley a Laney High?
Emsley a Laney High has 2,243 students enrolled. It is a high school in Wilmington, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Emsley a Laney High?
The student-teacher ratio at Emsley a Laney High is 19:1, which is 20% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 21% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Emsley a Laney High?
39.1% of students at Emsley a Laney High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Emsley a Laney High?
The largest demographic group at Emsley a Laney High is White at 55.4% of enrollment, in Wilmington, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Emsley a Laney High?
Emsley a Laney High has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Emsley a Laney High rank among high schools in Wilmington?
By Resource Investment Index, Emsley a Laney High ranks #4 of 5 high schools in Wilmington, 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 Wilmington on the city page.
Is Emsley a Laney High a good school?
Emsley a Laney High earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% 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 New Hanover County Schools?
Besides Emsley a Laney High, New Hanover County Schools also operates John T Hoggard High (2,082 students), Eugene Ashley High (1,893 students), and New Hanover High (1,437 students). See the New Hanover 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.