- Enrollment
- 1,272
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
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 →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-9 students YoY
Lower Creek Elementary held near 383 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-9 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 25.6 → 25.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-9 students YoY 370058000235 · Lenoir, NC Other · SMALL · TRAD
396 enr · 15.8:1 · 52.8% lunch · RII 35
Nearest enrollment peer: South Caldwell High (1,272 students)
Lower Creek Elementary held near 383 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-9 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 25.6 → 25.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Lower Creek Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- South Caldwell
South Caldwell High
1,272 students
- Hibriten High
Hibriten High
818 students
- Hudson Element
Hudson Elementary
665 students
- Granite Falls
Granite Falls Elementary
647 students
- West Caldwell
West Caldwell High
634 students
- This school 396
Lower Creek Elementary
396 students
What this shows Lower Creek Elementary reports 396 students on the CCD universe file.
How Lower Creek Elementary compares
Lower Creek Elementary 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 | 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 methodology
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
$12,066
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
Counselors1.0 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.
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
District finance for Caldwell County Schools reports $12,066 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
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
- 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
Nationwide other 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 (~396 students)
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. CCD year-over-year: 392 (2022-23) → 383 (2023-24), nearly flat (-9).
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, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. 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.
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.