Enrollment
201
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Durham, NC
Global Scholars Academy
Federal NCES profile for Global Scholars Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370031603198Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 80
📋 Attendance 21
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Global Scholars Academy earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 15
- elementary schools in Durham · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.6:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 97.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Global Scholars Academy has class sizes smaller than 83% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Global Scholars Academy ranks #2 of 15 elementary schools in Durham, NC.
School address
District: Global Scholars Academy · North Carolina
NCES ID 370031603198 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
97.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Global Scholars Academy compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Global Scholars Academy
Global Scholars Academy is a high-poverty, small charter elementary school in Durham, North Carolina, enrolling 201 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 97.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 201 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 91% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 175 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #14, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (60%) and African American (38%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 101 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Global Scholars Academy spends $19,145 per pupil, 59% above the North Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 35.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Durham's elementary schools, it stands alongside Research Triangle Charter (710 students): Global Scholars Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.6:1 vs 21.5:1).
Global Scholars Academy is a single-school charter district, so Global Scholars Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Global Scholars Academy compares
Global Scholars Academy 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 | 12.6:1 | ▼ 20% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 97.2% | ▲ 47% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 201 | top 88% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.6:1
Leaner classes than 70% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
201
Bigger than 20% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
97.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% 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
12.6:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 17% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 83% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
31.8%
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
$19,145
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 101 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 28 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.4 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
Hispanic or Latino 60.2%
African American 38.3%
Two or More 1.0%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 60.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.1, Global Scholars Academy is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Global Scholars Academy, which includes Global Scholars Academy.
$19,145
Per student
+59%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
+15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.2%
State 40.5%
Federal 35.3%
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.
Similar elementary schools in Durham
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Research Triangle Charter
Standard public school
710 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Forest View Elementary
Standard public school
662 students 13:1 students per teacher
Maureen Joy Charter School
Standard public school
631 students
Central Park School for Child
Standard public school
585 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Creekside Elementary
Standard public school
554 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Hope Valley Elementary
Standard public school
539 students 10.8:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~201 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Global Scholars Academy's federal record.
- Compare Global Scholars Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Global Scholars Academy'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 Global Scholars Academy
How many students attend Global Scholars Academy?
Global Scholars Academy has 201 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Durham, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Global Scholars Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Global Scholars Academy is 12.6:1, which is 20% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 20% 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 Global Scholars Academy?
97.2% of students at Global Scholars Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Global Scholars Academy?
The largest demographic group at Global Scholars Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 60.2% of enrollment, in Durham, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Global Scholars Academy?
Global Scholars Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (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 Global Scholars Academy rank among elementary schools in Durham?
By Resource Investment Index, Global Scholars Academy ranks #2 of 15 elementary schools in Durham, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Durham on the city page.
Is Global Scholars Academy a good school?
Global Scholars Academy earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% 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 Global Scholars Academy?
None; Global Scholars Academy is a single-school charter district, and Global Scholars Academy is its only campus.
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.