Enrollment
751
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Charlotte, NC
Lawrence Orr Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Lawrence Orr Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370297003363
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 25
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lawrence Orr Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of North Carolina schools.
- #52 of 70
- schools in Charlotte · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.8:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 99.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Lawrence Orr Elementary has class sizes larger than 85% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lawrence Orr Elementary ranks #52 of 70 schools in Charlotte, NC.
School address
District: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370297003363 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lawrence Orr Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lawrence Orr Elementary
Lawrence Orr Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Charlotte, North Carolina, enrolling 751 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.8:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 99.6% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 751 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 405 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #208.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (55%) and African American (31%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 376 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Charlotte's public schools, it stands alongside Sugar Creek Charter (1,591 students): Lawrence Orr Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.8:1 vs 30:1).
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools also operates Myers Park High School (3,225 students) and Ardrey Kell High School (3,036 students) alongside Lawrence Orr 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 Lawrence Orr Elementary compares
Lawrence Orr 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 | 18.8:1 | ▲ 19% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.6% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 751 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.8:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
751
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.8:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 85% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
31.3%
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
$11,853
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 376 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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
Hispanic or Latino 55.3%
African American 30.6%
Asian 7.2%
White 3.9%
Two or More 2.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 55.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.3, Lawrence Orr 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 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, which includes Lawrence Orr Elementary.
$11,853
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.2%
State 52.1%
Federal 15.6%
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 Lawrence Orr Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myers Park High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ardrey Kell High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Mecklenburg High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| William Amos Hough High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Mecklenburg High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lawrence Orr Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,225
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 3,036
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,534
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 2,518
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar other schools in Charlotte
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Sugar Creek Charter
Standard public school
1,591 students 30:1 students per teacher
Bradford Preparatory School
Standard public school
1,566 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Corvian Community School
Standard public school
1,376 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Northwest School of the Arts
Standard public school
993 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Jackson Day School
Standard public school
882 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Cochrane Collegiate Academy
Standard public school
854 students 18.6:1 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 (~751 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lawrence Orr Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Lawrence Orr Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg 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 Lawrence Orr Elementary
How many students attend Lawrence Orr Elementary?
Lawrence Orr Elementary has 751 students enrolled. It is a public school in Charlotte, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lawrence Orr Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Lawrence Orr Elementary is 18.8:1, which is 19% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lawrence Orr Elementary?
99.6% of students at Lawrence Orr Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lawrence Orr Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Lawrence Orr Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 55.3% of enrollment, in Charlotte, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lawrence Orr Elementary?
Lawrence Orr Elementary 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 Lawrence Orr Elementary rank among schools in Charlotte?
By Resource Investment Index, Lawrence Orr Elementary ranks #52 of 70 schools in Charlotte, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Charlotte on the city page.
Is Lawrence Orr Elementary a good school?
Lawrence Orr Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% 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 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools?
Besides Lawrence Orr Elementary, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools also operates Myers Park High School (3,225 students), Ardrey Kell High School (3,036 students), and South Mecklenburg High School (2,534 students). See the Charlotte-Mecklenburg 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.