Enrollment
555
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Spencer, NC
North Rowan High
Federal NCES profile for North Rowan High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370405001625
👥 S:T ratio 40
📚 AP courses 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Rowan High earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Spencer · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15:1
- students per teacher
- 66.2%
- free-lunch eligible
North Rowan High has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Rowan High ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Spencer, NC.
School address
District: Rowan-Salisbury Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370405001625 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+0% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Rowan High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Rowan High
North Rowan High is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Spencer, North Carolina, enrolling 555 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 66.2% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 555 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 410 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #190.
Its student body is led by African American (39%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%) (diversity index 70/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 7 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 278 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 199 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 555 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Rowan-Salisbury Schools also operates Carson High (1,063 students) and West Rowan High (988 students) alongside North Rowan High.
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 Rowan High compares
North Rowan High 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 | 66.2% | ▲ 0% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 555 | top 41% | - | - |
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.
555
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 0% 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
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
39.6%
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
$11,832
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 278 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
89
in-school suspensions + 110 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 35.9 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
African American 38.6%
Hispanic or Latino 31.9%
White 21.1%
Two or More 6.3%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 38.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.0, North Rowan High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rowan-Salisbury Schools, which includes North Rowan High.
$11,832
Per student
-2%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.6%
State 60.4%
Federal 21.0%
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 Rowan High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Rowan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Rowan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Rowan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Salisbury High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Rowan High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,063
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 988
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 986
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 932
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 930
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar high 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 (~555 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Rowan High's federal record.
- Compare North Rowan High against another school. Compare schools
- Rowan-Salisbury 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 Rowan High
How many students attend North Rowan High?
North Rowan High has 555 students enrolled. It is a high school in Spencer, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Rowan High?
The student-teacher ratio at North Rowan High 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 North Rowan High?
66.2% of students at North Rowan High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Rowan High?
The largest demographic group at North Rowan High is African American at 38.6% of enrollment, in Spencer, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Rowan High?
North Rowan High has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does North Rowan High rank among public schools in Spencer?
By Resource Investment Index, North Rowan High ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Spencer, 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 Spencer on the city page.
Is North Rowan High a good school?
North Rowan High earns 38/100 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 Rowan-Salisbury Schools?
Besides North Rowan High, Rowan-Salisbury Schools also operates Carson High (1,063 students), West Rowan High (988 students), and East Rowan High (986 students). See the Rowan-Salisbury 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.