Enrollment
571
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sanford, NC
Greenwood Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Greenwood Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370256002305
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Greenwood Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #5 of 9
- elementary schools in Sanford · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.9:1
- students per teacher
- 71.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Greenwood Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Greenwood Elementary ranks #5 of 9 elementary schools in Sanford, NC.
School address
District: Lee County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370256002305 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Greenwood Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Greenwood Elementary
Greenwood Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Sanford, North Carolina, enrolling 571 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 71.3% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 571 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 329 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #225.
Its student body is led by White (43%) and Hispanic or Latino (39%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 571 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Sanford's elementary schools, it stands alongside Highland Elementary (854 students): Greenwood Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.9:1 vs 14:1).
Lee County Schools also operates Lee County High (1,459 students) and Southern Lee High School (1,180 students) alongside Greenwood 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 Greenwood Elementary compares
Greenwood 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 | 13.9:1 | ▼ 12% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.3% | ▲ 8% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 571 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
571
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% 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
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 34% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
30.8%
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
$12,250
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 571 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
27
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.3 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
White 43.1%
Hispanic or Latino 38.5%
African American 10.7%
Two or More 6.8%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 43.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.0, Greenwood 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 Lee County Schools, which includes Greenwood Elementary.
$12,250
Per student
+2%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.8%
State 59.9%
Federal 23.3%
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.
How Greenwood Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southern Lee High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sanlee Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wb Wicker Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| J Glenn Edwards Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Greenwood Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,459
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,180
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 792
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 588
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 587
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Sanford
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Highland Elementary
Standard public school
854 students 14:1 students per teacher
Wb Wicker Elementary
Standard public school
588 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
J Glenn Edwards Elementary
Standard public school
587 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Tramway Elementary
Standard public school
559 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Deep River Elementary
Standard public school
557 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Bt Bullock Elementary
Standard public school
511 students 13.8:1 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 (~571 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Greenwood Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Greenwood Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Lee 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 Greenwood Elementary
How many students attend Greenwood Elementary?
Greenwood Elementary has 571 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sanford, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Greenwood Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Greenwood Elementary is 13.9:1, which is 12% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 11% 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 Greenwood Elementary?
71.3% of students at Greenwood Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Greenwood Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Greenwood Elementary is White at 43.1% of enrollment, in Sanford, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Greenwood Elementary?
Greenwood Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Greenwood Elementary rank among elementary schools in Sanford?
By Resource Investment Index, Greenwood Elementary ranks #5 of 9 elementary schools in Sanford, 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 Sanford on the city page.
Is Greenwood Elementary a good school?
Greenwood Elementary earns 34/100 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 Lee County Schools?
Besides Greenwood Elementary, Lee County Schools also operates Lee County High (1,459 students), Southern Lee High School (1,180 students), and Sanlee Middle School (792 students). See the Lee 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.