Enrollment
419
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · North Wilkesboro, NC
Mulberry Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Mulberry Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370495001980
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 16
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mulberry Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #3 of 3
- schools in North Wilkesboro · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14:1
- students per teacher
- 99.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Mulberry Elementary School has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mulberry Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 schools in North Wilkesboro, NC.
School address
District: Wilkes County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370495001980 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mulberry Elementary School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mulberry Elementary School
Mulberry Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, enrolling 419 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 99.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 419 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 520 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #61.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 419 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 19.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among North Wilkesboro's public schools, it stands alongside North Wilkesboro Elementary School (329 students): Mulberry Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14:1 vs 15.7:1).
Wilkes County Schools also operates Wilkes Central High School (719 students) and Millers Creek Elementary School (699 students) alongside Mulberry Elementary School.
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 Mulberry Elementary School compares
Mulberry Elementary School 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 | 14:1 | ▼ 11% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.3% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 419 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
419
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
14:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 35% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 65% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,156
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 419 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 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 69.2%
Hispanic or Latino 23.4%
Two or More 5.7%
African American 1.7%
Largest group: White at 69.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.3, Mulberry Elementary School is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wilkes County Schools, which includes Mulberry Elementary School.
$12,156
Per student
+1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.8%
State 59.5%
Federal 19.7%
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 Mulberry Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Millers Creek Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Wilkes High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Wilkes High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central Wilkes Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mulberry Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 719
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 699
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 582
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 578
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 564
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other schools in North Wilkesboro
2 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 (~419 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mulberry Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Mulberry Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Wilkes 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 Mulberry Elementary School
How many students attend Mulberry Elementary School?
Mulberry Elementary School has 419 students enrolled. It is a public school in North Wilkesboro, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mulberry Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mulberry Elementary School is 14:1, which is 11% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 11% 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 Mulberry Elementary School?
99.3% of students at Mulberry Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mulberry Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Mulberry Elementary School is White at 69.2% of enrollment, in North Wilkesboro, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mulberry Elementary School?
Mulberry Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Mulberry Elementary School rank among schools in North Wilkesboro?
By Resource Investment Index, Mulberry Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 schools in North Wilkesboro, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in North Wilkesboro on the city page.
Is Mulberry Elementary School a good school?
Mulberry Elementary School earns 46/100 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 Wilkes County Schools?
Besides Mulberry Elementary School, Wilkes County Schools also operates Wilkes Central High School (719 students), Millers Creek Elementary School (699 students), and West Wilkes High School (582 students). See the Wilkes 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.