Enrollment
482
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Newton, NC
Jacobs Fork Middle
Federal NCES profile for Jacobs Fork Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370069001364
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 4
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jacobs Fork Middle earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of North Carolina schools.
- #6 of 9
- public schools in Newton · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.2:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 43.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Jacobs Fork Middle has class sizes larger than 74% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jacobs Fork Middle ranks #6 of 9 public schools in Newton, NC.
School address
District: Catawba County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370069001364 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jacobs Fork Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jacobs Fork Middle
Jacobs Fork Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Newton, North Carolina, enrolling 482 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.2:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 43.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 482 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 400 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #319, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (68%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 482 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.3% 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.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Catawba County Schools also operates Saint Stephens High (1,268 students) and Bandys High (935 students) alongside Jacobs Fork 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 Jacobs Fork Middle compares
Jacobs Fork 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 | 17.2:1 | ▲ 9% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.2% | ▼ 35% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 482 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
482
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 74% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
26.3%
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
$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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 482 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 55 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 67.8%
Hispanic or Latino 12.4%
Two or More 7.3%
Asian 6.6%
African American 5.8%
Largest group: White at 67.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.2, Jacobs Fork 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 Catawba County Schools, which includes Jacobs Fork 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 Jacobs Fork Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Stephens High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bandys High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fred T Foard High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Maiden High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bunker Hill High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Jacobs Fork 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 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 (~482 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jacobs Fork Middle's federal record.
- Compare Jacobs Fork 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 Jacobs Fork Middle
How many students attend Jacobs Fork Middle?
Jacobs Fork Middle has 482 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Newton, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jacobs Fork Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Jacobs Fork Middle is 17.2:1, which is 9% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Jacobs Fork Middle?
43.2% of students at Jacobs Fork Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jacobs Fork Middle?
The largest demographic group at Jacobs Fork Middle is White at 67.8% of enrollment, in Newton, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jacobs Fork Middle?
Jacobs Fork Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Jacobs Fork Middle rank among public schools in Newton?
By Resource Investment Index, Jacobs Fork Middle ranks #6 of 9 public schools in Newton, 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 Newton on the city page.
Is Jacobs Fork Middle a good school?
Jacobs Fork Middle earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% 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 Catawba County Schools?
Besides Jacobs Fork 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.