- Enrollment
- 1,386
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lowell, NC
Lowell Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Lowell Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370162000696
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 58
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lowell Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of North Carolina schools.
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.7:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 65.0%
- free-lunch eligible
- 367
- students enrolled
Lowell Elementary has class sizes smaller than 81% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Gaston County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370162000696 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-36 students YoY
Lowell Elementary shrank from 409 students in 2022-23 to 373 in 2023-24 (-8.8%).
Teacher FTE lost 29.6 → 26.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-36 students YoY 370162000696 · Lowell, NC Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
367 enr · 12.7:1 · 65.0% lunch · RII 48
Nearest enrollment peer: Ashbrook High (1,386 students)
Lowell Elementary shrank from 409 students in 2022-23 to 373 in 2023-24 (-8.8%). Teacher FTE lost 29.6 → 26.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Lowell Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Ashbrook High
Ashbrook High
1,386 students
- Hunter Huss Hi
Hunter Huss High
1,165 students
- Forestview Hig
Forestview High
1,133 students
- North Gaston H
North Gaston High
1,061 students
- South Point Hi
South Point High
989 students
- This school 367
Lowell Elementary
367 students
What this shows Lowell Elementary reports 367 students on the CCD universe file.
How Lowell Elementary compares
Lowell 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 | 12.7:1 | ▼ 20% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.0% | ▼ 2% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 367 | top 69% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.7:1
Leaner classes than 69% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
367
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
65.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% 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
12.7:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 19% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 81% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
34.3%
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
$12,190
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
Counselors1.8 FTE
Per 210 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 48.2%
Hispanic or Latino 20.2%
African American 19.6%
Two or More 6.0%
Asian 5.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 48.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.2, Lowell Elementary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Gaston County Schools reports $12,190 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Lowell Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashbrook High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hunter Huss High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Forestview High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Gaston High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Point High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lowell Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,165
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,133
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,061
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 989
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
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 (~367 students)
Frequently asked questions about Lowell Elementary
How many students attend Lowell Elementary?
Lowell Elementary has 367 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lowell, NC. CCD year-over-year: 409 (2022-23) → 373 (2023-24), down 36.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lowell Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Lowell Elementary is 12.7:1, which is 20% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 19% 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 Lowell Elementary?
65.0% of students at Lowell Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lowell Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Lowell Elementary is White at 48.2% of enrollment, in Lowell, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lowell Elementary?
Lowell Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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).
What other schools are in Gaston County Schools?
Besides Lowell Elementary, Gaston County Schools also operates Ashbrook High (1,386 students), Hunter Huss High (1,165 students), and Forestview High (1,133 students). See the Gaston County Schools district page for the complete list.