Enrollment
460
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Forest City, NC
Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370408000909
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 8
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #2 of 5
- schools in Forest City · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.4:1
- students per teacher
- 98.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School ranks #2 of 5 schools in Forest City, NC.
School address
District: Rutherford County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370408000909 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.7%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School
Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Forest City, North Carolina, enrolling 460 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.4:1 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 98.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 460 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 544 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #249.
Its student body is led by White (58%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 460 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Forest City's public schools, it stands alongside Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School (459 students): Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.4:1 vs 12.8:1).
Rutherford County Schools also operates R-S Central High School (763 students) and East Rutherford High School (623 students) alongside Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School.
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 Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School compares
Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School 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 | 16.4:1 | ▲ 4% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.7% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 460 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
460
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 67% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.2%
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
$14,170
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 460 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 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 57.6%
Hispanic or Latino 20.0%
Two or More 13.9%
African American 8.0%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 57.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.2, Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rutherford County Schools, which includes Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School.
$14,170
Per student
+18%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.0%
State 53.8%
Federal 24.2%
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 Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-S Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Rutherford High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Chase High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ellenboro Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| R-S Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 763
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- 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.
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School
Standard public school
459 students 12.8:1 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
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 (~460 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Rutherford 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 Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School
How many students attend Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School?
Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School has 460 students enrolled. It is a public school in Forest City, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School is 16.4:1, which is 4% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School?
98.7% of students at Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School is White at 57.6% of enrollment, in Forest City, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School?
Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School rank among schools in Forest City?
By Resource Investment Index, Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School ranks #2 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.
Is Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School a good school?
Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School earns 37/100 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 Rutherford County Schools?
Besides Forrest W. Hunt 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.
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.