- Enrollment
- 1,479
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Black Mountain, NC
Owen High
Federal NCES profile for Owen High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370045000142
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Owen High earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Black Mountain · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.1:1
- students per teacher
- 44.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Owen High has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Owen High ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Black Mountain, NC.
School address
District: Buncombe County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370045000142 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-6 students YoY
Owen High held near 683 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-6 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 46.1 → 43.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-6 students YoY 370045000142 · Black Mountain, NC High · MID · TRAD
649 enr · 14.1:1 · 44.1% lunch · RII 47
Nearest enrollment peer: Roberson High (1,479 students)
Owen High held near 683 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-6 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 46.1 → 43.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Owen High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Roberson High
Roberson High
1,479 students
- Reynolds High
Reynolds High
1,169 students
- Enka High
Enka High
1,051 students
- Erwin High
Erwin High
1,013 students
- North Buncombe
North Buncombe High
896 students
- This school
Owen High
649 students
What this shows Owen High reports 649 students on the CCD universe file.
How Owen High compares
Owen High held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.1:1 | ▼ 11% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.1% | ▼ 33% | 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
14.1:1
Leaner classes than 56% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
649
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
44.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 33% below 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
14.1:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 36% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 64% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.5%
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
$13,585
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,294
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 216 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
48
in-school suspensions + 82 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 71.8%
Hispanic or Latino 17.4%
Two or More 4.9%
African American 3.9%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 71.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.0, Owen High is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 8
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Buncombe County Schools reports $13,585 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Owen High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roberson High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reynolds High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enka High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Erwin High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Buncombe High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Owen High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,169
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,051
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,013
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 896
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~649 students)
Frequently asked questions about Owen High
How many students attend Owen High?
Owen High has 649 students enrolled. It is a high school in Black Mountain, NC. CCD year-over-year: 689 (2022-23) → 683 (2023-24), nearly flat (-6).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Owen High?
The student-teacher ratio at Owen High is 14.1:1, which is 11% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 10% 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 Owen High?
44.1% of students at Owen High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Owen High?
The largest demographic group at Owen High is White at 71.8% of enrollment, in Black Mountain, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Owen High?
Owen High has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Owen High rank among public schools in Black Mountain?
By Resource Investment Index, Owen High ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Black Mountain, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Buncombe County Schools?
Besides Owen High, Buncombe County Schools also operates Roberson High (1,479 students), Reynolds High (1,169 students), and Enka High (1,051 students). See the Buncombe County Schools district page for the complete list.