Enrollment
959
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Raleigh, NC
Ligon Middle
Federal NCES profile for Ligon Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370472001872
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 54
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ligon Middle earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #5 of 17
- middle schools in Raleigh · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16:1
- students per teacher
- 28.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Ligon Middle has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ligon Middle ranks #5 of 17 middle schools in Raleigh, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472001872 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
60.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.9%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ligon Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ligon Middle
Ligon Middle is a large middle school in Raleigh, North Carolina, enrolling 959 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 28.9% free-meal eligibility runs 56% below the North Carolina average.
Enrollment of 959 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 273 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #33.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and African American (32%) (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 320 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 461 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 959 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Raleigh's middle schools, it stands alongside West Millbrook Middle (1,164 students): Ligon Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16:1 vs 18.8:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside Ligon Middle.
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 Ligon Middle compares
Ligon Middle 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 | 16:1 | ▲ 1% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.9% | ▼ 56% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 959 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
959
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 62% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,859
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 320 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
289
in-school suspensions + 172 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 30.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 48.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
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 45.4%
African American 31.6%
Hispanic or Latino 12.2%
Asian 6.0%
Two or More 4.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 45.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.3, Ligon Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wake County Schools, which includes Ligon Middle.
$11,859
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 54.5%
Federal 16.6%
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 Ligon Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Friendship High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enloe High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Panther Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millbrook High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ligon Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,748
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,643
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,609
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,498
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,449
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar middle schools in Raleigh
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
West Millbrook Middle
Standard public school
1,164 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Oberlin Middle
Standard public school
1,049 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Martin Middle
Standard public school
1,011 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
River Bend Middle
Standard public school
995 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Dillard Drive Middle
Standard public school
977 students 15:1 students per teacher
Carnage Middle
Standard public school
924 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~959 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ligon Middle's federal record.
- Compare Ligon Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Wake 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 Ligon Middle
How many students attend Ligon Middle?
Ligon Middle has 959 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Raleigh, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ligon Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Ligon Middle is 16:1, which is 1% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 2% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ligon Middle?
28.9% of students at Ligon Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ligon Middle?
The largest demographic group at Ligon Middle is White at 45.4% of enrollment, in Raleigh, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ligon Middle?
Ligon Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 Ligon Middle rank among middle schools in Raleigh?
By Resource Investment Index, Ligon Middle ranks #5 of 17 middle schools in Raleigh, 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 Raleigh on the city page.
Is Ligon Middle a good school?
Ligon Middle earns 49/100 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 Wake County Schools?
Besides Ligon Middle, Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students), Enloe High (2,643 students), and Panther Creek High (2,609 students). See the Wake 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.