Enrollment
477
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Charlotte, NC
Highland Creek Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Highland Creek Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370297002877
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 5
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Creek Elementary earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #30 of 59
- elementary schools in Charlotte · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.4:1
- students per teacher
- 29.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Creek Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Creek Elementary ranks #30 of 59 elementary schools in Charlotte, NC.
School address
District: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370297002877 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
29.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Creek Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Creek Elementary
Highland Creek Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Charlotte, North Carolina, enrolling 477 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.4:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 29.6% free-meal eligibility runs 55% below the North Carolina average.
With 477 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 243 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #138.
Its student body is led by African American (41%) and White (31%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 477 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 15.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Charlotte's elementary schools, it stands alongside South Academy of International Languages (1,259 students): Highland Creek Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.4:1 vs 16.4:1).
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools also operates Myers Park High School (3,225 students) and Ardrey Kell High School (3,036 students) alongside Highland Creek 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 Highland Creek Elementary compares
Highland Creek 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 | 16.4:1 | ▲ 4% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.6% | ▼ 55% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 477 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
477
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
29.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 67% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,853
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 477 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.8 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
African American 41.1%
White 31.2%
Hispanic or Latino 13.6%
Two or More 8.0%
Asian 5.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 41.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.6, Highland Creek 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 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, which includes Highland Creek Elementary.
$11,853
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.2%
State 52.1%
Federal 15.6%
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 Highland Creek Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myers Park High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ardrey Kell High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Mecklenburg High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| William Amos Hough High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Mecklenburg High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland Creek Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,225
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 3,036
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,534
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 2,518
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Charlotte
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
South Academy of International Languages
Standard public school
1,259 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Rea Farms Steam Academy
Standard public school
1,098 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Mallard Creek Stem Academy
Standard public school
961 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Palisades Park Elementary
Standard public school
940 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Unity Classical Charter School
Standard public school
928 students 40.3:1 students per teacher
Collinswood Language Academy
Standard public school
893 students 17.2:1 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 (~477 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Creek Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Highland Creek Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg 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 Highland Creek Elementary
How many students attend Highland Creek Elementary?
Highland Creek Elementary has 477 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Charlotte, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Creek Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Creek Elementary is 16.4:1, which is 4% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highland Creek Elementary?
29.6% of students at Highland Creek Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Creek Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Highland Creek Elementary is African American at 41.1% of enrollment, in Charlotte, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Creek Elementary?
Highland Creek Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Highland Creek Elementary rank among elementary schools in Charlotte?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Creek Elementary ranks #30 of 59 elementary schools in Charlotte, 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 Charlotte on the city page.
Is Highland Creek Elementary a good school?
Highland Creek Elementary earns 43/100 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 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools?
Besides Highland Creek Elementary, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools also operates Myers Park High School (3,225 students), Ardrey Kell High School (3,036 students), and South Mecklenburg High School (2,534 students). See the Charlotte-Mecklenburg 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.