Enrollment
451
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Wilmington, NC
John J Blair Elementary
Federal NCES profile for John J Blair Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370333001378
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 10
📋 Attendance 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John J Blair Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #7 of 9
- schools in Wilmington · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.7:1
- students per teacher
- 98.2%
- free-lunch eligible
John J Blair Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John J Blair Elementary ranks #7 of 9 schools in Wilmington, NC.
School address
District: New Hanover County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370333001378 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John J Blair Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at John J Blair Elementary
John J Blair Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Wilmington, North Carolina, enrolling 451 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 98.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 451 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 543 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #203.
Its student body is led by White (41%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 451 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.5% 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.
Among Wilmington's public schools, it stands alongside American Leadership Academy-Coastal (1,002 students): John J Blair Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount.
New Hanover County Schools also operates Emsley a Laney High (2,243 students) and John T Hoggard High (2,082 students) alongside John J Blair 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 John J Blair Elementary compares
John J Blair 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 | 13.7:1 | ▼ 13% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.2% | ▲ 49% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 451 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.7:1
Leaner classes than 60% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
451
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% 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
13.7:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 31% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 69% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.5%
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
$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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 451 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.5 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 40.8%
Hispanic or Latino 30.6%
African American 12.9%
Two or More 9.8%
Asian 5.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: White at 40.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.1, John J Blair 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 New Hanover County Schools, which includes John J Blair Elementary.
$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 John J Blair Elementary 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 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John J Blair Elementary'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 other schools in Wilmington
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
American Leadership Academy-Coastal
Standard public school
1,002 students
Murrayville Elementary
Standard public school
573 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Wrightsboro Elementary
Standard public school
502 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington
Standard public school
362 students 11:1 students per teacher
Bradley Creek Elementary
Standard public school
344 students 12.7:1 students per teacher
R Freeman Sch of Engineering
Standard public school
241 students 7.8:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~451 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John J Blair Elementary's federal record.
- Compare John J Blair Elementary 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 John J Blair Elementary
How many students attend John J Blair Elementary?
John J Blair Elementary has 451 students enrolled. It is a public school in Wilmington, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John J Blair Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at John J Blair Elementary is 13.7:1, which is 13% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 13% 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 John J Blair Elementary?
98.2% of students at John J Blair Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John J Blair Elementary?
The largest demographic group at John J Blair Elementary is White at 40.8% of enrollment, in Wilmington, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John J Blair Elementary?
John J Blair Elementary 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 John J Blair Elementary rank among schools in Wilmington?
By Resource Investment Index, John J Blair Elementary ranks #7 of 9 schools in Wilmington, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Wilmington on the city page.
Is John J Blair Elementary a good school?
John J Blair Elementary earns 39/100 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 John J Blair Elementary, 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.