Enrollment
158
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Marion, NC
Mcdowell Academy for Innovation
Federal NCES profile for Mcdowell Academy for Innovation, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370294003487
👥 S:T ratio 21
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 68
📋 Attendance 83
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mcdowell Academy for Innovation earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of North Carolina schools.
- #1 of 3
- high schools in Marion · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 19.8:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 48.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Mcdowell Academy for Innovation has class sizes larger than 89% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mcdowell Academy for Innovation ranks #1 of 3 high schools in Marion, NC.
School address
District: Mcdowell County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370294003487 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
8.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.7%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mcdowell Academy for Innovation compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mcdowell Academy for Innovation
Mcdowell Academy for Innovation is a small high school in Marion, North Carolina, enrolling 158 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.8:1 is larger than about 89% of North Carolina schools and 25% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 48.7% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 92% of North Carolina schools, with 158 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Against 79 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #17.
Its student body is led by White (68%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%) (diversity index 47/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 158 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.0% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 24.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Marion's high schools, it stands alongside Mcdowell High School (1,379 students): Mcdowell Academy for Innovation is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.8:1 vs 14.7:1).
Mcdowell County Schools also operates Mcdowell High School (1,379 students) and West Mcdowell Middle School (550 students) alongside Mcdowell Academy for Innovation.
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 Mcdowell Academy for Innovation compares
Mcdowell Academy for Innovation 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 | 19.8:1 | ▲ 25% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.7% | ▼ 26% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 158 | top 92% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.8:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
158
Bigger than 15% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
19.8:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 89% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
7.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,857
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 158 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.7 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 68.4%
Hispanic or Latino 24.1%
Two or More 3.8%
African American 3.2%
Asian 0.6%
Largest group: White at 68.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.2, Mcdowell Academy for Innovation is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mcdowell County Schools, which includes Mcdowell Academy for Innovation.
$12,857
Per student
+7%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.9%
State 58.7%
Federal 24.4%
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 Mcdowell Academy for Innovation Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mcdowell High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Mcdowell Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Glenwood Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Mcdowell Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Marion Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mcdowell Academy for Innovation's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,379
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 550
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 435
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 392
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 390
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar high schools in Marion
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~158 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mcdowell Academy for Innovation's federal record.
- Compare Mcdowell Academy for Innovation against another school. Compare schools
- Mcdowell 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 Mcdowell Academy for Innovation
How many students attend Mcdowell Academy for Innovation?
Mcdowell Academy for Innovation has 158 students enrolled. It is a high school in Marion, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mcdowell Academy for Innovation?
The student-teacher ratio at Mcdowell Academy for Innovation is 19.8:1, which is 25% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 26% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mcdowell Academy for Innovation?
48.7% of students at Mcdowell Academy for Innovation are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mcdowell Academy for Innovation?
The largest demographic group at Mcdowell Academy for Innovation is White at 68.4% of enrollment, in Marion, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mcdowell Academy for Innovation?
Mcdowell Academy for Innovation has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Mcdowell Academy for Innovation rank among high schools in Marion?
By Resource Investment Index, Mcdowell Academy for Innovation ranks #1 of 3 high schools in Marion, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Marion on the city page.
Is Mcdowell Academy for Innovation a good school?
Mcdowell Academy for Innovation earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% 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 Mcdowell County Schools?
Besides Mcdowell Academy for Innovation, Mcdowell County Schools also operates Mcdowell High School (1,379 students), West Mcdowell Middle School (550 students), and Glenwood Elementary School (435 students). See the Mcdowell 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.