- Enrollment
- 1,945
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Rocky Point, NC
Pender Innovative Learning Academy
Federal NCES profile for Pender Innovative Learning Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 70/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370357003586
👥 S:T ratio 70
🌟 Gifted program 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pender Innovative Learning Academy earns 70/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in North Carolina.
- #1 of 3
- schools in Rocky Point · Resource Index
- 70
- Resource Index · Higher
- 7.6:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 56.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Pender Innovative Learning Academy has class sizes smaller than 97% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pender Innovative Learning Academy ranks #1 of 3 schools in Rocky Point, NC.
School address
District: Pender County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370357003586 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-51 students YoY
Pender Innovative Learning Academy shrank from 99 students in 2022-23 to 48 in 2023-24 (-51.5%).
Teacher FTE lost 5.6 → 5.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-51 students YoY 370357003586 · Rocky Point, NC Other · SMALL · TRAD
38 enr · 7.6:1 · 56.6% lunch · RII 70
Nearest enrollment peer: Topsail High (1,945 students)
Pender Innovative Learning Academy shrank from 99 students in 2022-23 to 48 in 2023-24 (-51.5%). Teacher FTE lost 5.6 → 5.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Pender Innovative Learning Academy 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 38
Pender Innovative Learning Academy
38 students
What this shows Pender Innovative Learning Academy reports 38 students on the CCD universe file.
How Pender Innovative Learning Academy compares
Pender Innovative Learning Academy is a shrinking campus on CCD: 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 | 7.6:1 | ▼ 52% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.6% | ▼ 14% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 38 | top 99% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7.6:1
Leaner classes than 96% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
38
Bigger than 4% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
56.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
7.6:1
students per teacher
- 52% below state mean
Top 3% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 97% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 21 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 68.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 65.8%
African American 21.1%
Two or More 7.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%
Largest group: White at 65.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.3, Pender Innovative Learning Academy is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
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 Innovative Learning Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topsail High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Surf City Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Topsail Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Surf City Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heide Trask High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pender Innovative Learning Academy'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 other schools in Rocky Point
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nationwide other 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 (~38 students)
Frequently asked questions about Pender Innovative Learning Academy
How many students attend Pender Innovative Learning Academy?
Pender Innovative Learning Academy has 38 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Rocky Point, NC. CCD year-over-year: 99 (2022-23) → 48 (2023-24), down 51.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pender Innovative Learning Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Pender Innovative Learning Academy is 7.6:1, which is 52% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 52% 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 Pender Innovative Learning Academy?
56.6% of students at Pender Innovative Learning Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pender Innovative Learning Academy?
The largest demographic group at Pender Innovative Learning Academy is White at 65.8% of enrollment, in Rocky Point, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pender Innovative Learning Academy?
Pender Innovative Learning Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 70/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Pender Innovative Learning Academy rank among schools in Rocky Point?
By Resource Investment Index, Pender Innovative Learning Academy ranks #1 of 3 schools in Rocky Point, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Rocky Point on the city page.
What other schools are in Pender County Schools?
Besides Pender Innovative Learning Academy, 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.