Enrollment
503
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Kannapolis, NC
Gw Carver Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Gw Carver Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370243003429
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gw Carver Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 79% of North Carolina schools.
- #7 of 7
- elementary schools in Kannapolis · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12.9:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 99.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Gw Carver Elementary has class sizes smaller than 79% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gw Carver Elementary ranks #7 of 7 elementary schools in Kannapolis, NC.
School address
District: Kannapolis City Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370243003429 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gw Carver Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gw Carver Elementary
Gw Carver Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Kannapolis, North Carolina, enrolling 503 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 99.4% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 503 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.
Among 565 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #434, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (38%) and African American (30%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 503 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 30.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Kannapolis's elementary schools, it stands alongside Concord Lake Steam Academy (856 students): Gw Carver Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.9:1 vs 31.7:1).
Kannapolis City Schools also operates A L Brown High (1,753 students) and Kannapolis Middle (782 students) alongside Gw Carver 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 Gw Carver Elementary compares
Gw Carver 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 | 12.9:1 | ▼ 18% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.4% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 503 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
503
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 21% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 79% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
37.6%
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
$12,268
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 503 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 27 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.2 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 38.4%
African American 30.2%
White 19.7%
Two or More 10.9%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 38.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.1, Gw Carver 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 Kannapolis City Schools, which includes Gw Carver Elementary.
$12,268
Per student
+2%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.9%
State 49.8%
Federal 30.3%
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 Gw Carver Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| A L Brown High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kannapolis Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jackson Park Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Forest Park Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fred L Wilson Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gw Carver Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,753
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 782
- Students per teacher
- 10:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 476
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 472
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 415
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Kannapolis
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Concord Lake Steam Academy
Standard public school
856 students 31.7:1 students per teacher
Royal Oaks Elementary
Standard public school
661 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Jackson Park Elementary
Standard public school
476 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Fred L Wilson Elementary
Standard public school
415 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Shady Brook Elementary
Standard public school
322 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
North Kannapolis Elementary
Standard public school
296 students 10.2:1 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 (~503 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gw Carver Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Gw Carver Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Kannapolis City 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 Gw Carver Elementary
How many students attend Gw Carver Elementary?
Gw Carver Elementary has 503 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Kannapolis, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gw Carver Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Gw Carver Elementary is 12.9:1, which is 18% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 18% 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 Gw Carver Elementary?
99.4% of students at Gw Carver Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gw Carver Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Gw Carver Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 38.4% of enrollment, in Kannapolis, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gw Carver Elementary?
Gw Carver Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower 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 Gw Carver Elementary rank among elementary schools in Kannapolis?
By Resource Investment Index, Gw Carver Elementary ranks #7 of 7 elementary schools in Kannapolis, 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 Kannapolis on the city page.
Is Gw Carver Elementary a good school?
Gw Carver Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 79% 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 Kannapolis City Schools?
Besides Gw Carver Elementary, Kannapolis City Schools also operates A L Brown High (1,753 students), Kannapolis Middle (782 students), and Jackson Park Elementary (476 students). See the Kannapolis City 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.