Enrollment
396
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lenoir, NC
Lower Creek Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Lower Creek Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370058000235
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 12
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lower Creek Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #5 of 7
- schools in Lenoir · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- students per teacher
- 52.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Lower Creek Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lower Creek Elementary ranks #5 of 7 schools in Lenoir, NC.
School address
District: Caldwell County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370058000235 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lower Creek Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lower Creek Elementary
Lower Creek Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Lenoir, North Carolina, enrolling 396 students.
At 15.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 52.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 396 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 392 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #307, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and Hispanic or Latino (11%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 396 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 26.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Lenoir's public schools, it stands alongside Gamewell Elementary (459 students): Lower Creek Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.8:1 vs 14.3:1).
Caldwell County Schools also operates South Caldwell High (1,272 students) and Hibriten High (818 students) alongside Lower Creek 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 Lower Creek Elementary compares
Lower Creek 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 | 15.8:1 | ▼ 0% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.8% | ▼ 20% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 396 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
396
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% 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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 60% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
35.1%
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
$11,644
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 396 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.3 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
White 70.7%
Hispanic or Latino 11.1%
Two or More 9.8%
African American 7.1%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 70.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.3, Lower Creek Elementary is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Caldwell County Schools, which includes Lower Creek Elementary.
$11,644
Per student
-3%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.5%
State 57.4%
Federal 26.1%
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 Lower Creek Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Caldwell High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hibriten High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hudson Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Granite Falls Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Caldwell High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lower Creek Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,272
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 818
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 665
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 647
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar other schools in Lenoir
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Gamewell Elementary
Standard public school
459 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Davenport a+ School
Standard public school
429 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Whitnel Elementary
Standard public school
330 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Valmead Elementary
Standard public school
305 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Happy Valley Elementary
Standard public school
234 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Kings Creek Elementary
Standard public school
153 students 11.8:1 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 (~396 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lower Creek Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Lower Creek Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Caldwell 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 Lower Creek Elementary
How many students attend Lower Creek Elementary?
Lower Creek Elementary has 396 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lenoir, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lower Creek Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Lower Creek Elementary is 15.8:1, which is 0% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lower Creek Elementary?
52.8% of students at Lower Creek Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lower Creek Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Lower Creek Elementary is White at 70.7% of enrollment, in Lenoir, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lower Creek Elementary?
Lower Creek 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 Lower Creek Elementary rank among schools in Lenoir?
By Resource Investment Index, Lower Creek Elementary ranks #5 of 7 schools in Lenoir, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lenoir on the city page.
Is Lower Creek Elementary a good school?
Lower Creek Elementary earns 35/100 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 Caldwell County Schools?
Besides Lower Creek Elementary, Caldwell County Schools also operates South Caldwell High (1,272 students), Hibriten High (818 students), and Hudson Elementary (665 students). See the Caldwell 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.