Enrollment
502
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Morehead City, NC
Morehead City Primary
Federal NCES profile for Morehead City Primary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 58/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370063001044
👥 S:T ratio 58
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Morehead City Primary earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 6
- public schools in Morehead City · Resource Index
- 58
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.5:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 98.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Morehead City Primary has class sizes smaller than 93% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Morehead City Primary ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Morehead City, NC.
School address
District: Carteret County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370063001044 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.5:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-34% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Morehead City Primary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Morehead City Primary
Morehead City Primary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Morehead City, North Carolina, enrolling 502 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.5:1, Morehead City Primary is leaner than roughly 93% of North Carolina schools and 34% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 98.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 502 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 565 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #3, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (68%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 251 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
17.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 19.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Morehead City's public schools, it stands alongside Bridges School (11 students): Morehead City Primary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (10.5:1 vs 3.7:1).
Carteret County Public Schools also operates West Carteret High (1,095 students) and Croatan High (1,019 students) alongside Morehead City Primary.
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 Morehead City Primary compares
Morehead City Primary 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 | 10.5:1 | ▼ 34% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.5% | ▲ 49% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 502 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.5:1
Leaner classes than 86% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
502
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% 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
10.5:1
students per teacher
- 34% below state mean
Top 7% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
17.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,086
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 251 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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 67.9%
Hispanic or Latino 15.7%
Two or More 8.4%
African American 6.0%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 67.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.3, Morehead City Primary is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Carteret County Public Schools, which includes Morehead City Primary.
$13,086
Per student
+9%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.2%
State 54.7%
Federal 19.2%
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 Morehead City Primary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Carteret High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Croatan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| White Oak Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Broad Creek Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Newport Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Morehead City Primary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,095
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,019
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 784
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 722
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 621
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar other schools in Morehead City
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~502 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Morehead City Primary's federal record.
- Compare Morehead City Primary against another school. Compare schools
- Carteret County Public 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 Morehead City Primary
How many students attend Morehead City Primary?
Morehead City Primary has 502 students enrolled. It is a public school in Morehead City, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Morehead City Primary?
The student-teacher ratio at Morehead City Primary is 10.5:1, which is 34% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 33% 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 Morehead City Primary?
98.5% of students at Morehead City Primary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Morehead City Primary?
The largest demographic group at Morehead City Primary is White at 67.9% of enrollment, in Morehead City, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Morehead City Primary?
Morehead City Primary has a Resource Investment Index of 58/100 (higher 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 Morehead City Primary rank among public schools in Morehead City?
By Resource Investment Index, Morehead City Primary ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Morehead City, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Morehead City on the city page.
Is Morehead City Primary a good school?
Morehead City Primary earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% 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 Carteret County Public Schools?
Besides Morehead City Primary, Carteret County Public Schools also operates West Carteret High (1,095 students), Croatan High (1,019 students), and White Oak Elementary (784 students). See the Carteret County Public 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.