Enrollment
45
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Wilmington, NC
Lake Forest Academy
Federal NCES profile for Lake Forest Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370333002865
👥 S:T ratio 87
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lake Forest Academy earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in North Carolina.
- #19 of 24
- elementary schools in Wilmington · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 3.2:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 92.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Lake Forest Academy has class sizes smaller than 99% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lake Forest Academy ranks #19 of 24 elementary schools in Wilmington, NC.
School address
District: New Hanover County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370333002865 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
3.2:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-80% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
92.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lake Forest Academy compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lake Forest Academy
Lake Forest Academy is a high-poverty, small elementary school in Wilmington, North Carolina, enrolling 45 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 3.2:1, Lake Forest Academy is leaner than roughly 99% of North Carolina schools and 80% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 92.1% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 98% of North Carolina schools, with 45 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 26 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #24, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (47%) and White (31%) (diversity index 66/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 64.4% 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: 10 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 45 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Wilmington's elementary schools, it stands alongside Porters Neck Elementary (666 students): Lake Forest Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (3.2:1 vs 16.6:1).
New Hanover County Schools also operates Emsley a Laney High (2,243 students) and John T Hoggard High (2,082 students) alongside Lake Forest Academy.
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 Lake Forest Academy compares
Lake Forest Academy 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 | 3.2:1 | ▼ 80% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 92.1% | ▲ 40% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 45 | top 98% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
3.2:1
Leaner classes than 99% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
45
Bigger than 5% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
92.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% 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
3.2:1
students per teacher
- 80% below state mean
Top 1% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 99% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
64.4%
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
$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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 22.2 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
African American 46.7%
White 31.1%
Two or More 13.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.2%
Largest group: African American at 46.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.3, Lake Forest Academy is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for New Hanover County Schools, which includes Lake Forest Academy.
$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 Lake Forest Academy 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 | Higher S:T ratio |
| Charles P Murray Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lake Forest Academy'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 elementary schools in Wilmington
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Porters Neck Elementary
Standard public school
666 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Ogden Elementary
Standard public school
619 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Masonboro Elementary
Standard public school
564 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Heyward C Bellamy Elem
Standard public school
533 students 14:1 students per teacher
The International School at Gregory
Standard public school
514 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Edwin a Anderson Elementary
Standard public school
514 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~45 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~3.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lake Forest Academy's federal record.
- Compare Lake Forest Academy 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 Lake Forest Academy
How many students attend Lake Forest Academy?
Lake Forest Academy has 45 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Wilmington, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lake Forest Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Lake Forest Academy is 3.2:1, which is 80% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 80% 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 Lake Forest Academy?
92.1% of students at Lake Forest Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lake Forest Academy?
The largest demographic group at Lake Forest Academy is African American at 46.7% of enrollment, in Wilmington, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lake Forest Academy?
Lake Forest Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Lake Forest Academy rank among elementary schools in Wilmington?
By Resource Investment Index, Lake Forest Academy ranks #19 of 24 elementary 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 elementary schools in Wilmington on the city page.
Is Lake Forest Academy a good school?
Lake Forest Academy earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in North Carolina. 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 Lake Forest Academy, 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.