Enrollment
406
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hillsborough, NC
Grady Brown Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Grady Brown Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370348001446
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Grady Brown Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% of North Carolina schools.
- #6 of 6
- schools in Hillsborough · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.3:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 58.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Grady Brown Elementary has class sizes smaller than 90% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Grady Brown Elementary ranks #6 of 6 schools in Hillsborough, NC.
School address
District: Orange County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370348001446 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Grady Brown Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Grady Brown Elementary
Grady Brown Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Hillsborough, North Carolina, enrolling 406 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.3:1, Grady Brown Elementary is leaner than roughly 90% of North Carolina schools and 28% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 58.1% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 406 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 423 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #204.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 406 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Hillsborough's public schools, it stands alongside Eno River Academy (828 students): Grady Brown Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.3:1 vs 13.8:1).
Orange County Schools also operates Orange High (1,161 students) and Cedar Ridge High (1,148 students) alongside Grady Brown 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 Grady Brown Elementary compares
Grady Brown 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 | 11.3:1 | ▼ 28% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.1% | ▼ 12% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 406 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.3:1
Leaner classes than 81% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
406
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
11.3:1
students per teacher
- 28% below state mean
Top 10% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 90% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
32.5%
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
$14,085
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 406 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 41.9%
Hispanic or Latino 36.0%
African American 11.3%
Two or More 7.6%
Asian 3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 41.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.5, Grady Brown 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 Orange County Schools, which includes Grady Brown Elementary.
$14,085
Per student
+17%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.0%
State 48.0%
Federal 14.1%
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 Grady Brown Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cedar Ridge High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| A L Stanback Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Efland Cheeks Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| New Hope Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Grady Brown Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,161
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,148
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 532
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 528
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar other schools in Hillsborough
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Eno River Academy
Standard public school
828 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
River Park Elementary
Standard public school
523 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Hillsborough Elementary
Standard public school
435 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Pathways Elementary
Standard public school
371 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Central Elementary
Standard public school
261 students 10:1 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 (~406 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Grady Brown Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Grady Brown Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Orange 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 Grady Brown Elementary
How many students attend Grady Brown Elementary?
Grady Brown Elementary has 406 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hillsborough, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Grady Brown Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Grady Brown Elementary is 11.3:1, which is 28% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 28% 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 Grady Brown Elementary?
58.1% of students at Grady Brown Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Grady Brown Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Grady Brown Elementary is White at 41.9% of enrollment, in Hillsborough, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Grady Brown Elementary?
Grady Brown Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Grady Brown Elementary rank among schools in Hillsborough?
By Resource Investment Index, Grady Brown Elementary ranks #6 of 6 schools in Hillsborough, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hillsborough on the city page.
Is Grady Brown Elementary a good school?
Grady Brown Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% 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 Orange County Schools?
Besides Grady Brown Elementary, Orange County Schools also operates Orange High (1,161 students), Cedar Ridge High (1,148 students), and A L Stanback Middle (648 students). See the Orange 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.