Enrollment
545
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Asheville, NC
Erwin Middle
Federal NCES profile for Erwin Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370045000144
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 64
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Erwin Middle earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 4
- middle schools in Asheville · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.1:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 68.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Erwin Middle has class sizes smaller than 87% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Erwin Middle ranks #3 of 4 middle schools in Asheville, NC.
School address
District: Buncombe County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370045000144 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.7%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Erwin Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Erwin Middle
Erwin Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Asheville, North Carolina, enrolling 545 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12.1:1, Erwin Middle 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 68.7% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 545 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 373 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #55.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 182 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 46.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 269 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 545 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Asheville's middle schools, it stands alongside Asheville Middle (670 students): Erwin Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.1:1 vs 13.7:1).
Buncombe County Schools also operates Roberson High (1,479 students) and Reynolds High (1,169 students) alongside Erwin Middle.
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 Erwin Middle compares
Erwin Middle 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 | 68.7% | ▲ 4% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 545 | top 42% | - | - |
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.
545
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% 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
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
46.4%
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
$13,190
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 182 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
158
in-school suspensions + 111 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 29.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 49.4 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 50.8%
Hispanic or Latino 35.6%
African American 7.3%
Two or More 4.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.5%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 50.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.8, Erwin Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Buncombe County Schools, which includes Erwin Middle.
$13,190
Per student
+10%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.2%
State 49.5%
Federal 21.3%
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 Erwin Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roberson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reynolds High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enka High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Erwin High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Buncombe High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Erwin Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,479
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,169
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,051
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,013
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 896
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar middle schools in Asheville
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~545 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Erwin Middle's federal record.
- Compare Erwin Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Buncombe 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 Erwin Middle
How many students attend Erwin Middle?
Erwin Middle has 545 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Asheville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Erwin Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Erwin Middle 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 Erwin Middle?
68.7% of students at Erwin Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Erwin Middle?
The largest demographic group at Erwin Middle is White at 50.8% of enrollment, in Asheville, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Erwin Middle?
Erwin Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Erwin Middle rank among middle schools in Asheville?
By Resource Investment Index, Erwin Middle ranks #3 of 4 middle schools in Asheville, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Asheville on the city page.
Is Erwin Middle a good school?
Erwin Middle earns 46/100 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 Buncombe County Schools?
Besides Erwin Middle, Buncombe County Schools also operates Roberson High (1,479 students), Reynolds High (1,169 students), and Enka High (1,051 students). See the Buncombe 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.