Enrollment
715
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Jacksonville, NC
Morton Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Morton Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370345001424
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 21
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Morton Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #3 of 6
- schools in Jacksonville · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.5:1
- students per teacher
- 51.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Morton Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Morton Elementary ranks #3 of 6 schools in Jacksonville, NC.
School address
District: Onslow County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370345001424 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
51.0%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Morton Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Morton Elementary
Morton Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Jacksonville, North Carolina, enrolling 715 students.
At 15.5:1, 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 51.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 715 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 470 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #368, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and Hispanic or Latino (22%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 715 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Jacksonville's public schools, it stands alongside Southwest Elementary (720 students): Morton Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.5:1 vs 13.8:1).
Onslow County Schools also operates Jacksonville High (1,441 students) and White Oak High (1,252 students) alongside Morton 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 Morton Elementary compares
Morton 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 | 15.5:1 | ▼ 2% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.0% | ▼ 23% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 715 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
715
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
51.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 56% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
31.6%
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
$10,680
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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 715 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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 46.2%
Hispanic or Latino 21.5%
African American 19.2%
Two or More 11.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 46.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.1, Morton 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 Onslow County Schools, which includes Morton Elementary.
$10,680
Per student
-11%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.1%
State 57.2%
Federal 21.7%
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 Morton Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| White Oak High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Swansboro High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dixon High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northside High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Morton Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,441
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,252
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,232
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,085
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Jacksonville
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Southwest Elementary
Standard public school
720 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Hunters Creek Elementary
Standard public school
585 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Clear View Elementary
Standard public school
535 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Summersill Elementary
Standard public school
482 students 11.5:1 students per teacher
Onslow Virtual Secondary
Standard public school
421 students 12.8:1 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 (~715 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Morton Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Morton Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Onslow 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 Morton Elementary
How many students attend Morton Elementary?
Morton Elementary has 715 students enrolled. It is a public school in Jacksonville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Morton Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Morton Elementary is 15.5:1, which is 2% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 1% 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 Morton Elementary?
51.0% of students at Morton Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Morton Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Morton Elementary is White at 46.2% of enrollment, in Jacksonville, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Morton Elementary?
Morton Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Morton Elementary rank among schools in Jacksonville?
By Resource Investment Index, Morton Elementary ranks #3 of 6 schools in Jacksonville, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Jacksonville on the city page.
Is Morton Elementary a good school?
Morton Elementary earns 32/100 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 Onslow County Schools?
Besides Morton Elementary, Onslow County Schools also operates Jacksonville High (1,441 students), White Oak High (1,252 students), and Swansboro High (1,232 students). See the Onslow 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.