Enrollment
801
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Castle Hayne, NC
Holly Shelter Middle
Federal NCES profile for Holly Shelter Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370333003210
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Holly Shelter Middle earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Castle Hayne · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.6:1
- students per teacher
- 98.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Holly Shelter Middle has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Holly Shelter Middle ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Castle Hayne, NC.
School address
District: New Hanover County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370333003210 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
55.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.7%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Holly Shelter Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Holly Shelter Middle
Holly Shelter Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Castle Hayne, North Carolina, enrolling 801 students.
At 14.6:1, 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.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 98.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 801 puts it in the larger 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 371 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #91.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 267 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 288 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 801 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
New Hanover County Schools also operates Emsley a Laney High (2,243 students) and John T Hoggard High (2,082 students) alongside Holly Shelter 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 Holly Shelter Middle compares
Holly Shelter 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 | 14.6:1 | ▼ 8% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.7% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 801 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
801
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 43% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
48.3%
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
$13,724
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 267 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
140
in-school suspensions + 148 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 36.0 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 47.1%
Hispanic or Latino 23.8%
African American 20.0%
Two or More 6.2%
Asian 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 47.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.7, Holly Shelter 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 New Hanover County Schools, which includes Holly Shelter Middle.
$13,724
Per student
+14%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.4%
State 51.7%
Federal 18.8%
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 Holly Shelter Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emsley a Laney High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John T Hoggard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eugene Ashley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| New Hanover High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Charles P Murray Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Holly Shelter Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,243
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,082
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,893
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,437
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 907
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
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 (~801 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Holly Shelter Middle's federal record.
- Compare Holly Shelter Middle against another school. Compare schools
- New Hanover 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 Holly Shelter Middle
How many students attend Holly Shelter Middle?
Holly Shelter Middle has 801 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Castle Hayne, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Holly Shelter Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Holly Shelter Middle is 14.6:1, which is 8% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 7% 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 Holly Shelter Middle?
98.7% of students at Holly Shelter Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Holly Shelter Middle?
The largest demographic group at Holly Shelter Middle is White at 47.1% of enrollment, in Castle Hayne, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Holly Shelter Middle?
Holly Shelter Middle 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 Holly Shelter Middle rank among public schools in Castle Hayne?
By Resource Investment Index, Holly Shelter Middle ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Castle Hayne, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Castle Hayne on the city page.
Is Holly Shelter Middle a good school?
Holly Shelter Middle earns 40/100 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 New Hanover County Schools?
Besides Holly Shelter Middle, New Hanover County Schools also operates Emsley a Laney High (2,243 students), John T Hoggard High (2,082 students), and Eugene Ashley High (1,893 students). See the New Hanover 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.