- Enrollment
- 1,945
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Burgaw, NC
Pender Early College High
Federal NCES profile for Pender Early College High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 58/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370357002906
👥 S:T ratio 4
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 99
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pender Early College High earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of North Carolina schools.
- #1 of 6
- public schools in Burgaw · Resource Index
- 58
- Resource Index · Higher
- 23.9:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 32.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Pender Early College High has class sizes larger than 95% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pender Early College High ranks #1 of 6 public schools in Burgaw, NC.
School address
District: Pender County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370357002906 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-10 students YoY
Pender Early College High held near 193 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-10 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 9.0 → 9.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-10 students YoY 370357002906 · Burgaw, NC High · SMALL · TRAD
215 enr · 23.9:1 · 32.5% lunch · RII 58
Nearest enrollment peer: Topsail High (1,945 students)
Pender Early College High held near 193 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-10 headcount). Teacher FTE added 9.0 → 9.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Pender Early College High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Topsail High
Topsail High
1,945 students
- Surf City Elem
Surf City Elementary
857 students
- Topsail Middle
Topsail Middle
837 students
- Surf City Midd 752
Surf City Middle
752 students
- Heide Trask Hi 732
Heide Trask High
732 students
- This school 215
Pender Early College High
215 students
What this shows Pender Early College High reports 215 students on the CCD universe file.
How Pender Early College High compares
Pender Early College 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 | 23.9:1 | ▲ 51% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.5% | ▼ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 215 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.9:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
215
Bigger than 21% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
32.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% 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
23.9:1
students per teacher
- 51% above state mean
Top 95% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
0.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$11,425
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 215 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 65.1%
Hispanic or Latino 23.3%
Two or More 5.6%
African American 4.7%
Asian 1.4%
Largest group: White at 65.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.6, Pender Early College High is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Pender County Schools reports $11,425 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Pender Early College High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topsail High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Surf City Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Topsail Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Surf City Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Heide Trask High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pender Early College High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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 high schools in Burgaw
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
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 (~215 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.9:1)
Frequently asked questions about Pender Early College High
How many students attend Pender Early College High?
Pender Early College High has 215 students enrolled. It is a high school in Burgaw, NC. CCD year-over-year: 203 (2022-23) → 193 (2023-24), nearly flat (-10).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pender Early College High?
The student-teacher ratio at Pender Early College High is 23.9:1, which is 51% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 52% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pender Early College High?
32.5% of students at Pender Early College High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pender Early College High?
The largest demographic group at Pender Early College High is White at 65.1% of enrollment, in Burgaw, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pender Early College High?
Pender Early College High has a Resource Investment Index of 58/100 (higher 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 Pender Early College High rank among public schools in Burgaw?
By Resource Investment Index, Pender Early College High ranks #1 of 6 public schools in Burgaw, 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 Burgaw on the city page.
What other schools are in Pender County Schools?
Besides Pender Early College High, 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.