Enrollment
72
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Morganton, NC
North Liberty
Federal NCES profile for North Liberty, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370048001006
👥 S:T ratio 74
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Liberty earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in North Carolina.
- #8 of 12
- schools in Morganton · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 6.5:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 73.1%
- free-lunch eligible
North Liberty has class sizes smaller than 98% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Liberty ranks #8 of 12 schools in Morganton, NC.
School address
District: Burke County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370048001006 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
11.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
6.5:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-59% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Liberty compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Liberty
North Liberty is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Morganton, North Carolina, enrolling 72 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 6.5:1, North Liberty is leaner than roughly 98% of North Carolina schools and 59% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 73.1% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 97% of North Carolina schools, with 72 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 47/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 51.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Morganton's public schools, it stands alongside Mountain View Elementary (762 students): North Liberty is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (6.5:1 vs 17.7:1).
Burke County Schools also operates Freedom High (1,299 students) and East Burke High (874 students) alongside North Liberty.
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 North Liberty compares
North Liberty 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 | 6.5:1 | ▼ 59% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.1% | ▲ 11% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 72 | top 97% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
6.5:1
Leaner classes than 97% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
72
Bigger than 7% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% 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
6.5:1
students per teacher
- 59% below state mean
Top 2% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 98% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
51.4%
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
$11,845
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 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 70.8%
Hispanic or Latino 16.7%
Two or More 5.6%
Asian 4.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.8%
Largest group: White at 70.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.5, North Liberty is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Burke County Schools, which includes North Liberty.
$11,845
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 15.2%
State 61.7%
Federal 23.1%
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 North Liberty Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Burke High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Robert L. Patton High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jimmy C Draughn High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Liberty's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,299
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 874
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 762
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 756
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar other schools in Morganton
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Mountain View Elementary
Standard public school
762 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Drexel Elementary
Standard public school
477 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Salem Elementary
Standard public school
476 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
W a Young Elementary
Standard public school
327 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Oak Hill Elementary
Standard public school
310 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Forest Hill Elementary
Standard public school
305 students 16.9:1 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 (~72 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~6.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Liberty's federal record.
- Compare North Liberty against another school. Compare schools
- Burke 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 North Liberty
How many students attend North Liberty?
North Liberty has 72 students enrolled. It is a special-education school in Morganton, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Liberty?
The student-teacher ratio at North Liberty is 6.5:1, which is 59% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 59% 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 North Liberty?
73.1% of students at North Liberty are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Liberty?
The largest demographic group at North Liberty is White at 70.8% of enrollment, in Morganton, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Liberty?
North Liberty has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does North Liberty rank among schools in Morganton?
By Resource Investment Index, North Liberty ranks #8 of 12 schools in Morganton, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Morganton on the city page.
Is North Liberty a good school?
North Liberty earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in North Carolina. 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 Burke County Schools?
Besides North Liberty, Burke County Schools also operates Freedom High (1,299 students), East Burke High (874 students), and Mountain View Elementary (762 students). See the Burke 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.