- Enrollment
- 874
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Morganton, NC
Freedom High
Federal NCES profile for Freedom High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370048000176
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Freedom High earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 3
- high schools in Morganton · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.8:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 59.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Freedom High has class sizes larger than 80% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Freedom High ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Morganton, NC.
School address
District: Burke County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370048000176 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-40 students YoY
Freedom High held near 1,374 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-40 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 73.6 → 74.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-40 students YoY 370048000176 · Morganton, NC High · MID · TRAD
1,299 enr · 17.8:1 · 59.5% lunch · RII 33
Nearest enrollment peer: East Burke High (874 students)
Freedom High held near 1,374 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-40 headcount). Teacher FTE added 73.6 → 74.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Freedom High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Freedom High
1,299 students
- East Burke Hig
East Burke High
874 students
- Mountain View
Mountain View Elementary
762 students
- Robert L. Patt
Robert L. Patton High School
756 students
- Jimmy C Draugh
Jimmy C Draughn High School
661 students
- East Burke Mid
East Burke Middle
630 students
What this shows Freedom High reports 1,299 students on the CCD universe file.
How Freedom High compares
Freedom High 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 | 17.8:1 | ▲ 13% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.5% | ▼ 10% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,299 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.8:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,299
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
59.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% below 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
17.8:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 80% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
42.4%
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
$12,261
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,294
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 325 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
245
in-school suspensions + 117 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 27.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 45.8%
Hispanic or Latino 35.3%
Two or More 7.5%
African American 7.2%
Asian 4.2%
Largest group: White at 45.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.3, Freedom High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 12
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Burke County Schools reports $12,261 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Freedom High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Burke High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Robert L. Patton High School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jimmy C Draughn High School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Burke Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Freedom High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
- Enrollment
- 630
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar high schools in Morganton
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Nationwide high 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 (~1,299 students)
Frequently asked questions about Freedom High
How many students attend Freedom High?
Freedom High has 1,299 students enrolled. It is a high school in Morganton, NC. CCD year-over-year: 1,414 (2022-23) → 1,374 (2023-24), nearly flat (-40).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Freedom High?
The student-teacher ratio at Freedom High is 17.8:1, which is 13% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Freedom High?
59.5% of students at Freedom High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Freedom High?
The largest demographic group at Freedom High is White at 45.8% of enrollment, in Morganton, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Freedom High?
Freedom High has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Freedom High rank among high schools in Morganton?
By Resource Investment Index, Freedom High ranks #3 of 3 high 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 high schools in Morganton on the city page.
What other schools are in Burke County Schools?
Besides Freedom High, Burke County Schools also operates East Burke High (874 students), Mountain View Elementary (762 students), and Robert L. Patton High School (756 students). See the Burke County Schools district page for the complete list.