Enrollment
601
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Hickory, NC
Harry M Arndt Middle
Federal NCES profile for Harry M Arndt Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370069000283
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Harry M Arndt Middle earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Hickory · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- students per teacher
- 53.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Harry M Arndt Middle has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Harry M Arndt Middle ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Hickory, NC.
School address
District: Catawba County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370069000283 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.9%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Harry M Arndt Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Harry M Arndt Middle
Harry M Arndt Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Hickory, North Carolina, enrolling 601 students.
At 15.8:1, 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.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 53.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 601 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 509 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #310.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and Hispanic or Latino (34%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 301 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 22.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 196 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 601 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 7 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Hickory's middle schools, it stands alongside Northview Middle (481 students): Harry M Arndt Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.8:1 vs 16.6:1).
Catawba County Schools also operates Saint Stephens High (1,268 students) and Bandys High (935 students) alongside Harry M Arndt Middle.
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 Harry M Arndt Middle compares
Harry M Arndt Middle 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 | 15.8:1 | ▼ 0% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.9% | ▼ 18% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 601 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
601
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% 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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 60% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
38.8%
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
$11,517
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 301 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
108
in-school suspensions + 88 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 32.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 7 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 45.8%
Hispanic or Latino 33.9%
Two or More 8.3%
African American 7.3%
Asian 4.7%
Largest group: White at 45.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.1, Harry M Arndt Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Catawba County Schools, which includes Harry M Arndt Middle.
$11,517
Per student
-4%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.3%
State 55.4%
Federal 22.2%
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 Harry M Arndt Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Stephens High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bandys High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fred T Foard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maiden High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bunker Hill High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Harry M Arndt Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,268
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 935
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 930
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 852
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 845
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar middle schools in Hickory
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~601 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Harry M Arndt Middle's federal record.
- Compare Harry M Arndt Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Catawba 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 Harry M Arndt Middle
How many students attend Harry M Arndt Middle?
Harry M Arndt Middle has 601 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Hickory, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Harry M Arndt Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Harry M Arndt Middle is 15.8:1, which is 0% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Harry M Arndt Middle?
53.9% of students at Harry M Arndt Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Harry M Arndt Middle?
The largest demographic group at Harry M Arndt Middle is White at 45.8% of enrollment, in Hickory, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Harry M Arndt Middle?
Harry M Arndt Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Harry M Arndt Middle rank among middle schools in Hickory?
By Resource Investment Index, Harry M Arndt Middle ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Hickory, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Hickory on the city page.
Is Harry M Arndt Middle a good school?
Harry M Arndt Middle earns 37/100 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 Catawba County Schools?
Besides Harry M Arndt Middle, Catawba County Schools also operates Saint Stephens High (1,268 students), Bandys High (935 students), and Fred T Foard High (930 students). See the Catawba 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.