Enrollment
529
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hampstead, NC
North Topsail Elementary
Federal NCES profile for North Topsail Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370357002346
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Topsail Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of North Carolina schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 4
- schools in Hampstead · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.6:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 23.8%
- free-lunch eligible
North Topsail Elementary has class sizes smaller than 70% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Topsail Elementary ranks #2 of 4 schools in Hampstead, NC.
School address
District: Pender County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370357002346 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Topsail Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Topsail Elementary
North Topsail Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Hampstead, North Carolina, enrolling 529 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 23.8% free-meal eligibility runs 64% below the North Carolina average.
With 529 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 227 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #204, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (85% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 27/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 529 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Hampstead's public schools, it stands alongside Surf City Elementary (857 students): North Topsail Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.6:1 vs 19.5:1).
Pender County Schools also operates Topsail High (1,945 students) and Surf City Elementary (857 students) alongside North Topsail 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 North Topsail Elementary compares
North Topsail 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 | 13.6:1 | ▼ 14% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.8% | ▼ 64% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 529 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
529
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 30% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.3%
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
$11,305
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 529 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.3 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 85.1%
Hispanic or Latino 6.8%
Two or More 5.3%
African American 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 85.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 26.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 26.8, North Topsail Elementary is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pender County Schools, which includes North Topsail Elementary.
$11,305
Per student
-6%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.0%
State 56.8%
Federal 21.2%
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 Topsail Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topsail High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Surf City Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Topsail Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Surf City Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heide Trask High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Topsail Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,945
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 857
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 837
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 752
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 732
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar other schools in Hampstead
3 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 (~529 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Topsail Elementary's federal record.
- Compare North Topsail Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Pender 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 Topsail Elementary
How many students attend North Topsail Elementary?
North Topsail Elementary has 529 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hampstead, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Topsail Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at North Topsail Elementary is 13.6:1, which is 14% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 13% 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 Topsail Elementary?
23.8% of students at North Topsail Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Topsail Elementary?
The largest demographic group at North Topsail Elementary is White at 85.1% of enrollment, in Hampstead, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Topsail Elementary?
North Topsail Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 North Topsail Elementary rank among schools in Hampstead?
By Resource Investment Index, North Topsail Elementary ranks #2 of 4 schools in Hampstead, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hampstead on the city page.
Is North Topsail Elementary a good school?
North Topsail Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of North Carolina schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Pender County Schools?
Besides North Topsail Elementary, Pender County Schools also operates Topsail High (1,945 students), Surf City Elementary (857 students), and Topsail Middle (837 students). See the Pender 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.