Enrollment
305
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Morganton, NC
Forest Hill Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Forest Hill Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 60/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370048000175
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 70
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Forest Hill Elementary earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of North Carolina schools.
- #1 of 12
- schools in Morganton · Resource Index
- 60
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.9:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 92.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Forest Hill Elementary has class sizes larger than 72% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Forest Hill Elementary ranks #1 of 12 schools in Morganton, NC.
School address
District: Burke County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370048000175 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
92.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Forest Hill Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Forest Hill Elementary
Forest Hill Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Morganton, North Carolina, enrolling 305 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.9:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 92.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 305 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 369 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (57%) and White (26%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 153 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
13.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 23.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Morganton's public schools, it stands alongside Mountain View Elementary (762 students): Forest Hill Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.9:1 vs 17.7:1).
Burke County Schools also operates Freedom High (1,299 students) and East Burke High (874 students) alongside Forest Hill 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 Forest Hill Elementary compares
Forest Hill 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 | 16.9:1 | ▲ 7% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 92.2% | ▲ 40% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 305 | top 76% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
305
Bigger than 33% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
92.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% 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
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 72% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
13.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$11,845
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 153 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 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
Hispanic or Latino 57.4%
White 25.6%
African American 8.2%
Two or More 6.6%
Asian 2.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 57.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.3, Forest Hill 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 Burke County Schools, which includes Forest Hill Elementary.
$11,845
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 15.2%
State 61.7%
Federal 23.1%
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 Forest Hill Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Burke High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Robert L. Patton High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jimmy C Draughn High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Forest Hill Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,299
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 874
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 762
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 756
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar other schools in Morganton
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Mountain View Elementary
Standard public school
762 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Drexel Elementary
Standard public school
477 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Salem Elementary
Standard public school
476 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
W a Young Elementary
Standard public school
327 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Oak Hill Elementary
Standard public school
310 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Glen Alpine Elementary
Standard public school
295 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
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 (~305 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Forest Hill Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Forest Hill Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Burke 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 Forest Hill Elementary
How many students attend Forest Hill Elementary?
Forest Hill Elementary has 305 students enrolled. It is a public school in Morganton, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Forest Hill Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Forest Hill Elementary is 16.9:1, which is 7% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Forest Hill Elementary?
92.2% of students at Forest Hill Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Forest Hill Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Forest Hill Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 57.4% of enrollment, in Morganton, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Forest Hill Elementary?
Forest Hill Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 60/100 (higher 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 Forest Hill Elementary rank among schools in Morganton?
By Resource Investment Index, Forest Hill Elementary ranks #1 of 12 schools in Morganton, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Morganton on the city page.
Is Forest Hill Elementary a good school?
Forest Hill Elementary earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% 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 Burke County Schools?
Besides Forest Hill Elementary, Burke County Schools also operates Freedom High (1,299 students), East Burke High (874 students), and Mountain View Elementary (762 students). See the Burke 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.