Enrollment
423
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Wilson, NC
Margaret Hearne Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Margaret Hearne Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370502002003
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Margaret Hearne Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of North Carolina schools.
- #5 of 7
- schools in Wilson · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.9:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 96.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Margaret Hearne Elementary has class sizes larger than 72% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Margaret Hearne Elementary ranks #5 of 7 schools in Wilson, NC.
School address
District: Wilson County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370502002003 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
96.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Margaret Hearne Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Margaret Hearne Elementary
Margaret Hearne Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Wilson, North Carolina, enrolling 423 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.9:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 96.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 423 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.
Against 537 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #373.
Its student body is led by African American (57%) and Hispanic or Latino (33%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 423 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 20.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 88 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 423 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Wilson's public schools, it stands alongside Sallie B Howard School (1,228 students): Margaret Hearne Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.9:1 vs 16.6:1).
Wilson County Schools also operates James Hunt High (1,115 students) and Fike High (1,028 students) alongside Margaret Hearne 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 Margaret Hearne Elementary compares
Margaret Hearne 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 | 16.9:1 | ▲ 7% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 96.1% | ▲ 46% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 423 | top 60% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
423
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
96.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% above 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
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 72% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.8%
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
$12,063
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 423 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 85 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.8 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
African American 57.2%
Hispanic or Latino 32.6%
Two or More 5.4%
White 4.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 57.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.2, Margaret Hearne Elementary is about as mixed as the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wilson County Schools, which includes Margaret Hearne Elementary.
$12,063
Per student
+0%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.1%
State 58.4%
Federal 20.5%
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 Margaret Hearne Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Hunt High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fike High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Forest Hills Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Beddingfield High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John W Jones Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Margaret Hearne Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,115
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,028
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 654
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 653
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 601
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Wilson
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Sallie B Howard School
Standard public school
1,228 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Wilson Preparatory Academy
Standard public school
725 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
John W Jones Elementary
Standard public school
601 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Milton M Daniels Learning Center
Alternative education program
62 students 8.9:1 students per teacher
Wilson Academy of Virtual Education
Standard public school
44 students 44:1 students per teacher
Eastern Nc School for the Deaf
Special-education school
41 students 2:1 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 (~423 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Margaret Hearne Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Margaret Hearne Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Wilson 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 Margaret Hearne Elementary
How many students attend Margaret Hearne Elementary?
Margaret Hearne Elementary has 423 students enrolled. It is a public school in Wilson, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Margaret Hearne Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Margaret Hearne Elementary is 16.9:1, which is 7% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Margaret Hearne Elementary?
96.1% of students at Margaret Hearne Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Margaret Hearne Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Margaret Hearne Elementary is African American at 57.2% of enrollment, in Wilson, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Margaret Hearne Elementary?
Margaret Hearne Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Margaret Hearne Elementary rank among schools in Wilson?
By Resource Investment Index, Margaret Hearne Elementary ranks #5 of 7 schools in Wilson, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Wilson on the city page.
Is Margaret Hearne Elementary a good school?
Margaret Hearne Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of North Carolina schools. 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 Wilson County Schools?
Besides Margaret Hearne Elementary, Wilson County Schools also operates James Hunt High (1,115 students), Fike High (1,028 students), and Forest Hills Middle (654 students). See the Wilson 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.