- Enrollment
- 763
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Forest City, NC
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370408001639
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 8
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of North Carolina schools.
- #4 of 5
- schools in Forest City · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 99.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 80% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 schools in Forest City, NC.
School address
District: Rutherford County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370408001639 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+8 students YoY
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School held near 487 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+8 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 36.8 → 31.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+8 students YoY 370408001639 · Forest City, NC Other · SMALL · TRAD
459 enr · 12.8:1 · 99.4% lunch · RII 32
Nearest enrollment peer: R-S Central High School (763 students)
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School held near 487 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+8 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 36.8 → 31.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- R-S Central Hi
R-S Central High School
763 students
- East Rutherfor
East Rutherford High School
623 students
- Chase High Sch
Chase High School
596 students
- Ellenboro Elem
Ellenboro Elementary School
567 students
- R-S Middle Sch
R-S Middle School
561 students
- This school
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School
459 students
What this shows Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School reports 459 students on the CCD universe file.
How Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School compares
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.8:1 | ▼ 19% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.4% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 459 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
459
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
99.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 20% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 80% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
53.2%
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
$14,515
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,294
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 459 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 27 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 35.1%
White 30.5%
Hispanic or Latino 19.4%
Two or More 13.3%
Asian 1.7%
Largest group: African American at 35.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.8, Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Rutherford County Schools reports $14,515 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-S Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Rutherford High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chase High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ellenboro Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| R-S Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 623
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 596
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 567
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 561
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar other schools in Forest City
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School
Standard public school
460 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Harris Elementary School
Standard public school
434 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Mt. Vernon-Ruth Elementary School
Standard public school
231 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Rutherford Opportunity Center
Alternative education program
82 students 4.8:1 students per teacher
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~459 students)
Frequently asked questions about Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School
How many students attend Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School?
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School has 459 students enrolled. It is a public school in Forest City, NC. CCD year-over-year: 479 (2022-23) → 487 (2023-24), nearly flat (+8).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School is 12.8:1, which is 19% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 18% 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 Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School?
99.4% of students at Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School is African American at 35.1% of enrollment, in Forest City, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School?
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School rank among schools in Forest City?
By Resource Investment Index, Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 schools in Forest City, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Forest City on the city page.
What other schools are in Rutherford County Schools?
Besides Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School, Rutherford County Schools also operates R-S Central High School (763 students), East Rutherford High School (623 students), and Chase High School (596 students). See the Rutherford County Schools district page for the complete list.