Enrollment
649
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Spencer, NC
North Rowan Middle
Federal NCES profile for North Rowan Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370405001626
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Rowan Middle earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Spencer · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 27:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 88.9%
- free-lunch eligible
North Rowan Middle has class sizes larger than 97% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Rowan Middle ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Spencer, NC.
School address
District: Rowan-Salisbury Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370405001626 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
27:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+71% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
88.9%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Rowan Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Rowan Middle
North Rowan Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Spencer, North Carolina, enrolling 649 students.
Class loads run heavy: 27:1 is larger than about 97% of North Carolina schools and 71% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 88.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 649 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 549 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #518, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (44%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 649 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.9% 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: 369 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 649 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 Middle.
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 Middle compares
North Rowan Middle 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 | 27:1 | ▲ 71% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 88.9% | ▲ 35% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 649 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
649
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
88.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
27:1
students per teacher
- 71% above state mean
Top 97% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
27.9%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 649 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
187
in-school suspensions + 182 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 28.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 56.9 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 43.6%
Hispanic or Latino 31.0%
White 15.6%
Two or More 8.2%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 43.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.3, North Rowan Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rowan-Salisbury Schools, which includes North Rowan Middle.
$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 Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Rowan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Rowan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Rowan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Salisbury High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Rowan Middle'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 middle 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 (~649 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~27:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Rowan Middle's federal record.
- Compare North Rowan Middle 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 Middle
How many students attend North Rowan Middle?
North Rowan Middle has 649 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Spencer, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Rowan Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at North Rowan Middle is 27:1, which is 71% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 72% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at North Rowan Middle?
88.9% of students at North Rowan Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Rowan Middle?
The largest demographic group at North Rowan Middle is African American at 43.6% of enrollment, in Spencer, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Rowan Middle?
North Rowan Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower 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 North Rowan Middle rank among public schools in Spencer?
By Resource Investment Index, North Rowan Middle ranks #3 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 Middle a good school?
North Rowan Middle earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% 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 Rowan-Salisbury Schools?
Besides North Rowan Middle, 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.