- Enrollment
- 1,299
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Morganton, NC
Liberty Middle
Federal NCES profile for Liberty Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370048002225
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 55
📋 Attendance 9
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Liberty Middle earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Morganton · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.2:1
- students per teacher
- 50.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Liberty Middle has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Liberty Middle ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Morganton, NC.
School address
District: Burke County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370048002225 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+2 students YoY
Liberty Middle held near 459 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+2 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 28.2 → 28.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+2 students YoY 370048002225 · Morganton, NC Middle · SMALL · TRAD
453 enr · 16.2:1 · 50.8% lunch · RII 42
Nearest enrollment peer: Freedom High (1,299 students)
Liberty Middle held near 459 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+2 headcount). Teacher FTE added 28.2 → 28.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Liberty Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Freedom High
Freedom High
1,299 students
- East Burke Hig
East Burke High
874 students
- Mountain View
Mountain View Elementary
762 students
- Robert L. Patt
Robert L. Patton High School
756 students
- Jimmy C Draugh
Jimmy C Draughn High School
661 students
- This school 453
Liberty Middle
453 students
What this shows Liberty Middle reports 453 students on the CCD universe file.
How Liberty Middle compares
Liberty Middle held steady on CCD headcount: 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 | 16.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.8% | ▼ 23% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 453 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
453
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
50.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 65% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
36.2%
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
$12,261
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 227 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
63
in-school suspensions + 51 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 67.8%
Hispanic or Latino 17.7%
Two or More 7.7%
Asian 3.5%
African American 3.3%
Largest group: White at 67.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.1, Liberty Middle is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Burke County Schools reports $12,261 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Liberty Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Burke High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Robert L. Patton High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jimmy C Draughn High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Liberty Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 874
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 762
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 756
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar middle schools in Morganton
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nationwide middle 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 (~453 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.2:1)
Frequently asked questions about Liberty Middle
How many students attend Liberty Middle?
Liberty Middle has 453 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Morganton, NC. CCD year-over-year: 457 (2022-23) → 459 (2023-24), nearly flat (+2).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Liberty Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Liberty Middle is 16.2:1, which is 3% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Liberty Middle?
50.8% of students at Liberty Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Liberty Middle?
The largest demographic group at Liberty Middle is White at 67.8% of enrollment, in Morganton, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Liberty Middle?
Liberty Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical 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 Liberty Middle rank among middle schools in Morganton?
By Resource Investment Index, Liberty Middle ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Morganton, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Morganton on the city page.
What other schools are in Burke County Schools?
Besides Liberty Middle, Burke County Schools also operates Freedom High (1,299 students), East Burke High (874 students), and Mountain View Elementary (762 students). See the Burke County Schools district page for the complete list.