- Enrollment
- 1,981
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Fuquay-Varina, NC
Lafayette Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Lafayette Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370201000886
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lafayette Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #8 of 9
- public schools in Fuquay-Varina · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.5:1
- students per teacher
- 36.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Lafayette Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lafayette Elementary ranks #8 of 9 public schools in Fuquay-Varina, NC.
School address
District: Harnett County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370201000886 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-72 students YoY
Lafayette Elementary shrank from 625 students in 2022-23 to 553 in 2023-24 (-11.5%).
Teacher FTE lost 39.5 → 39.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-72 students YoY 370201000886 · Fuquay-Varina, NC Elementary · MID · TRAD
645 enr · 16.5:1 · 36.2% lunch · RII 26
Nearest enrollment peer: Overhills High (1,981 students)
Lafayette Elementary shrank from 625 students in 2022-23 to 553 in 2023-24 (-11.5%). Teacher FTE lost 39.5 → 39.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Lafayette Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Overhills High
Overhills High
1,981 students
- Harnett Centra
Harnett Central High
1,522 students
- Western Harnet
Western Harnett High
1,324 students
- Triton High
Triton High
1,274 students
- Benhaven Eleme
Benhaven Elementary
1,065 students
- This school 645
Lafayette Elementary
645 students
What this shows Lafayette Elementary reports 645 students on the CCD universe file.
How Lafayette Elementary compares
Lafayette Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.5:1 | ▲ 4% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.2% | ▼ 45% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 645 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.5:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
645
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
36.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 68% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
41.4%
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
$10,877
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,294
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 645 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
18
in-school suspensions + 21 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 61.7%
Hispanic or Latino 18.8%
African American 10.4%
Two or More 6.4%
Asian 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 61.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.9, Lafayette Elementary is about as mixed as the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Harnett County Schools reports $10,877 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Lafayette Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overhills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harnett Central High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Western Harnett High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Triton High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Benhaven Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lafayette Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,522
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,324
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,274
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,065
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar elementary schools in Fuquay-Varina
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~645 students)
Frequently asked questions about Lafayette Elementary
How many students attend Lafayette Elementary?
Lafayette Elementary has 645 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Fuquay-Varina, NC. CCD year-over-year: 625 (2022-23) → 553 (2023-24), down 72.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lafayette Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Lafayette Elementary is 16.5:1, which is 4% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 5% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lafayette Elementary?
36.2% of students at Lafayette Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lafayette Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Lafayette Elementary is White at 61.7% of enrollment, in Fuquay-Varina, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lafayette Elementary?
Lafayette Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Lafayette Elementary rank among public schools in Fuquay-Varina?
By Resource Investment Index, Lafayette Elementary ranks #8 of 9 public schools in Fuquay-Varina, 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 Fuquay-Varina on the city page.
What other schools are in Harnett County Schools?
Besides Lafayette Elementary, Harnett County Schools also operates Overhills High (1,981 students), Harnett Central High (1,522 students), and Western Harnett High (1,324 students). See the Harnett County Schools district page for the complete list.