Enrollment
919
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Roanoke, VA
Northside High
Federal NCES profile for Northside High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 510333001465
👥 S:T ratio 41
📚 AP courses 70
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northside High earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #2 of 5
- high schools in Roanoke · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 42.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Northside High has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northside High ranks #2 of 5 high schools in Roanoke, VA.
School address
District: Roanoke County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510333001465 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
62.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.3%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northside High compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northside High
Northside High is a mid-sized high school in Roanoke, Virginia, enrolling 919 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 42.3% lands close to the Virginia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 919 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 230 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #107.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and African American (20%) (diversity index 67/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 14 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 306 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Discipline events run high: 191 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 919 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Roanoke's high schools, it stands alongside Patrick Henry High (2,030 students): Northside High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.8:1 vs 15.1:1).
Roanoke County Public Schools also operates William Byrd High (1,134 students) and Cave Spring High (1,046 students) alongside Northside 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 Northside High compares
Northside High on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.8:1 | ▲ 6% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.3% | ▼ 27% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 919 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
919
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 66% in Virginia - lower ratio than 34% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,626
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 306 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
157
in-school suspensions + 34 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.8 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 51.0%
African American 19.5%
Hispanic or Latino 15.6%
Two or More 7.3%
Asian 6.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 51.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.8, Northside High is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 14
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Roanoke County Public Schools, which includes Northside High.
$12,626
Per student
-14%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.4%
State 47.5%
Federal 11.1%
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 Northside High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Byrd High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cave Spring High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hidden Valley High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| William Byrd Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cave Spring Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northside High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,134
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,046
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 832
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 802
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 746
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar high schools in Roanoke
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Patrick Henry High
Standard public school
2,030 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
William Fleming High
Standard public school
1,957 students 17:1 students per teacher
Cave Spring High
Standard public school
1,046 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Hidden Valley High
Standard public school
832 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~919 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northside High's federal record.
- Compare Northside High against another school. Compare schools
- Roanoke County Public 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 Northside High
How many students attend Northside High?
Northside High has 919 students enrolled. It is a high school in Roanoke, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northside High?
The student-teacher ratio at Northside High is 14.8:1, which is 6% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northside High?
42.3% of students at Northside High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northside High?
The largest demographic group at Northside High is White at 51.0% of enrollment, in Roanoke, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northside High?
Northside High has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (higher 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 Northside High rank among high schools in Roanoke?
By Resource Investment Index, Northside High ranks #2 of 5 high schools in Roanoke, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Roanoke on the city page.
Is Northside High a good school?
Northside High earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia 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 Roanoke County Public Schools?
Besides Northside High, Roanoke County Public Schools also operates William Byrd High (1,134 students), Cave Spring High (1,046 students), and Hidden Valley High (832 students). See the Roanoke County Public 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.