Enrollment
234
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lenoir, NC
Happy Valley Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Happy Valley Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370058000230
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 53
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Happy Valley Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 7
- schools in Lenoir · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.6:1
- students per teacher
- 68.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Happy Valley Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Happy Valley Elementary ranks #2 of 7 schools in Lenoir, NC.
School address
District: Caldwell County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370058000230 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.9%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Happy Valley Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Happy Valley Elementary
Happy Valley Elementary is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Lenoir, North Carolina, enrolling 234 students.
At 15.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 68.9% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 234 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 115 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #80.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 18/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 234 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 26.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Lenoir's public schools, it stands alongside Gamewell Elementary (459 students): Happy Valley Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.6:1 vs 14.3:1).
Caldwell County Schools also operates South Caldwell High (1,272 students) and Hibriten High (818 students) alongside Happy Valley 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 Happy Valley Elementary compares
Happy Valley 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 | 15.6:1 | ▼ 1% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.9% | ▲ 4% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 234 | top 85% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
234
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% 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
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 57% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
49.1%
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
$11,644
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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 234 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.5 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 90.6%
Two or More 5.1%
Hispanic or Latino 4.3%
Largest group: White at 90.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.5, Happy Valley Elementary is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Caldwell County Schools, which includes Happy Valley Elementary.
$11,644
Per student
-3%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.5%
State 57.4%
Federal 26.1%
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 Happy Valley Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Caldwell High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hibriten High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hudson Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Granite Falls Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Caldwell High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Happy Valley Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,272
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 818
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 665
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 647
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar other schools in Lenoir
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Gamewell Elementary
Standard public school
459 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Davenport a+ School
Standard public school
429 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Lower Creek Elementary
Standard public school
396 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Whitnel Elementary
Standard public school
330 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Valmead Elementary
Standard public school
305 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Kings Creek Elementary
Standard public school
153 students 11.8:1 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 (~234 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Happy Valley Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Happy Valley Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Caldwell 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 Happy Valley Elementary
How many students attend Happy Valley Elementary?
Happy Valley Elementary has 234 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lenoir, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Happy Valley Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Happy Valley Elementary is 15.6:1, which is 1% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 1% 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 Happy Valley Elementary?
68.9% of students at Happy Valley Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Happy Valley Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Happy Valley Elementary is White at 90.6% of enrollment, in Lenoir, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Happy Valley Elementary?
Happy Valley Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Happy Valley Elementary rank among schools in Lenoir?
By Resource Investment Index, Happy Valley Elementary ranks #2 of 7 schools in Lenoir, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lenoir on the city page.
Is Happy Valley Elementary a good school?
Happy Valley Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Caldwell County Schools?
Besides Happy Valley Elementary, Caldwell County Schools also operates South Caldwell High (1,272 students), Hibriten High (818 students), and Hudson Elementary (665 students). See the Caldwell 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.