Enrollment
320
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Mount Airy, NC
J Sam Gentry Middle
Federal NCES profile for J Sam Gentry Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370441001751
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
J Sam Gentry Middle earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in Mount Airy · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 57.3%
- free-lunch eligible
J Sam Gentry Middle has class sizes smaller than 80% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, J Sam Gentry Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Mount Airy, NC.
School address
District: Surry County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370441001751 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How J Sam Gentry Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at J Sam Gentry Middle
J Sam Gentry Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Mount Airy, North Carolina, enrolling 320 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 57.3% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 320 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.
Among 305 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #218, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 45/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 320 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Mount Airy's middle schools, it stands alongside Mount Airy Middle (395 students): J Sam Gentry Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.8:1 vs 13.6:1).
Surry County Schools also operates North Surry High (792 students) and Surry Central High (679 students) alongside J Sam Gentry 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 J Sam Gentry Middle compares
J Sam Gentry 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 | 12.8:1 | ▼ 19% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.3% | ▼ 13% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 320 | top 75% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
320
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 20% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 80% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
42.5%
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
$12,638
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 320 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 29 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.1 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 70.0%
Hispanic or Latino 25.0%
Two or More 3.1%
African American 1.6%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 70.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.6, J Sam Gentry Middle is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Surry County Schools, which includes J Sam Gentry Middle.
$12,638
Per student
+5%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 15.6%
State 60.1%
Federal 24.3%
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 J Sam Gentry Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Surry High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Surry Central High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Surry High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Franklin Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to J Sam Gentry Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 792
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 679
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 576
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 502
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 473
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar middle schools in Mount Airy
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 (~320 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on J Sam Gentry Middle's federal record.
- Compare J Sam Gentry Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Surry 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 J Sam Gentry Middle
How many students attend J Sam Gentry Middle?
J Sam Gentry Middle has 320 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Mount Airy, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at J Sam Gentry Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at J Sam Gentry Middle is 12.8:1, which is 19% 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 J Sam Gentry Middle?
57.3% of students at J Sam Gentry Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of J Sam Gentry Middle?
The largest demographic group at J Sam Gentry Middle is White at 70.0% of enrollment, in Mount Airy, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for J Sam Gentry Middle?
J Sam Gentry Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 J Sam Gentry Middle rank among middle schools in Mount Airy?
By Resource Investment Index, J Sam Gentry Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Mount Airy, 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 Mount Airy on the city page.
Is J Sam Gentry Middle a good school?
J Sam Gentry Middle earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% 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 Surry County Schools?
Besides J Sam Gentry Middle, Surry County Schools also operates North Surry High (792 students), Surry Central High (679 students), and East Surry High (576 students). See the Surry 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.