Enrollment
827
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Winston-Salem, NC
Meadowlark Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Meadowlark Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370150002379
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 51
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Meadowlark Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #10 of 20
- schools in Winston-Salem · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15:1
- students per teacher
- 32.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Meadowlark Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Meadowlark Elementary ranks #10 of 20 schools in Winston-Salem, NC.
School address
District: Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370150002379 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
55.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.7%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Meadowlark Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Meadowlark Elementary
Meadowlark Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, enrolling 827 students.
At 15:1, 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 32.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 827 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 329 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #173.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and African American (14%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 551 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 22.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Winston-Salem's public schools, it stands alongside Quality Education Academy (776 students): Meadowlark Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15:1 vs 14.4:1).
Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools also operates West Forsyth High (2,145 students) and Ronald W Reagan High School (2,122 students) alongside Meadowlark 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 Meadowlark Elementary compares
Meadowlark 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 | 15:1 | ▼ 5% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.7% | ▼ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 827 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
827
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 49% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
19.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,036
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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 551 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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 53.1%
African American 14.0%
Asian 12.9%
Hispanic or Latino 12.7%
Two or More 6.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 53.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.1, Meadowlark Elementary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools, which includes Meadowlark Elementary.
$13,036
Per student
+8%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.3%
State 52.1%
Federal 22.5%
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 Meadowlark Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Forsyth High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ronald W Reagan High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| R J Reynolds High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Forsyth High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Parkland High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Meadowlark Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,145
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,122
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,759
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,647
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,569
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in Winston-Salem
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Quality Education Academy
Standard public school
776 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Kimmel Farm Elementary
Standard public school
760 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Wallburg Elementary
Standard public school
717 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Gibson Elementary
Standard public school
589 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Jefferson Elementary
Standard public school
560 students 14:1 students per teacher
Petree Elementary
Standard public school
519 students 14.4:1 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 (~827 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Meadowlark Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Meadowlark Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Winston Salem / Forsyth 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 Meadowlark Elementary
How many students attend Meadowlark Elementary?
Meadowlark Elementary has 827 students enrolled. It is a public school in Winston-Salem, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Meadowlark Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Meadowlark Elementary is 15:1, which is 5% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 4% 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 Meadowlark Elementary?
32.7% of students at Meadowlark Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Meadowlark Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Meadowlark Elementary is White at 53.1% of enrollment, in Winston-Salem, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Meadowlark Elementary?
Meadowlark Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Meadowlark Elementary rank among schools in Winston-Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, Meadowlark Elementary ranks #10 of 20 schools in Winston-Salem, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Winston-Salem on the city page.
Is Meadowlark Elementary a good school?
Meadowlark Elementary earns 40/100 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 Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools?
Besides Meadowlark Elementary, Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools also operates West Forsyth High (2,145 students), Ronald W Reagan High School (2,122 students), and R J Reynolds High (1,759 students). See the Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools district page for the complete list.
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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.