Enrollment
371
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hillsborough, NC
Pathways Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Pathways Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370348002536
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pathways Elementary earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #4 of 6
- schools in Hillsborough · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 50.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Pathways Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pathways Elementary ranks #4 of 6 schools in Hillsborough, NC.
School address
District: Orange County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370348002536 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pathways Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pathways Elementary
Pathways Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Hillsborough, North Carolina, enrolling 371 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 50.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 371 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 332 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #39.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and African American (18%) (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 371 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
12.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Hillsborough's public schools, it stands alongside Eno River Academy (828 students): Pathways Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.3:1 vs 13.8:1).
Orange County Schools also operates Orange High (1,161 students) and Cedar Ridge High (1,148 students) alongside Pathways 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 Pathways Elementary compares
Pathways 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 | 14.3:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.1% | ▼ 24% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 371 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
371
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 39% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
12.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$14,085
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 371 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.9 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
White 55.0%
African American 17.8%
Hispanic or Latino 15.4%
Two or More 10.0%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 55.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.2, Pathways Elementary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Orange County Schools, which includes Pathways Elementary.
$14,085
Per student
+17%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.0%
State 48.0%
Federal 14.1%
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 Pathways Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cedar Ridge High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| A L Stanback Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Efland Cheeks Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| New Hope Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pathways Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,161
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,148
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 532
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 528
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar other schools in Hillsborough
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Eno River Academy
Standard public school
828 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
River Park Elementary
Standard public school
523 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Hillsborough Elementary
Standard public school
435 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Grady Brown Elementary
Standard public school
406 students 11.3:1 students per teacher
Central Elementary
Standard public school
261 students 10:1 students per teacher
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 (~371 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pathways Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Pathways Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Orange 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 Pathways Elementary
How many students attend Pathways Elementary?
Pathways Elementary has 371 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hillsborough, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pathways Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Pathways Elementary is 14.3:1, which is 9% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 9% 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 Pathways Elementary?
50.1% of students at Pathways Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pathways Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Pathways Elementary is White at 55.0% of enrollment, in Hillsborough, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pathways Elementary?
Pathways Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher 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 Pathways Elementary rank among schools in Hillsborough?
By Resource Investment Index, Pathways Elementary ranks #4 of 6 schools in Hillsborough, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hillsborough on the city page.
Is Pathways Elementary a good school?
Pathways Elementary earns 52/100 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 Orange County Schools?
Besides Pathways Elementary, Orange County Schools also operates Orange High (1,161 students), Cedar Ridge High (1,148 students), and A L Stanback Middle (648 students). See the Orange 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.