Enrollment
254
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Rutherfordton, NC
Pinnacle Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Pinnacle Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370408002479
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pinnacle Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most North Carolina schools.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Rutherfordton · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.1:1
- students per teacher
- 98.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Pinnacle Elementary School has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pinnacle Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Rutherfordton, NC.
School address
District: Rutherford County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370408002479 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.7%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pinnacle Elementary School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pinnacle Elementary School
Pinnacle Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Rutherfordton, North Carolina, enrolling 254 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 98.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 254 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 251 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #114.
Its student body is predominantly White (82% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 31/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 254 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Rutherfordton's public schools, it stands alongside Rutherfordton Elementary School (397 students): Pinnacle Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.1:1 vs 13.7:1).
Rutherford County Schools also operates R-S Central High School (763 students) and East Rutherford High School (623 students) alongside Pinnacle Elementary School.
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 Pinnacle Elementary School compares
Pinnacle Elementary School 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 | 14.1:1 | ▼ 11% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.7% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 254 | top 83% | - | - |
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.
254
Bigger than 26% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% above 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
36.6%
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
$14,170
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 254 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: 0.8 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 82.3%
Hispanic or Latino 8.7%
African American 5.5%
Two or More 3.5%
Largest group: White at 82.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.1, Pinnacle Elementary School is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rutherford County Schools, which includes Pinnacle Elementary School.
$14,170
Per student
+18%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.0%
State 53.8%
Federal 24.2%
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 Pinnacle Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-S Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Rutherford High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Chase High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ellenboro Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| R-S Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pinnacle Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 763
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 623
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 596
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 567
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 561
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar other schools in Rutherfordton
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~254 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pinnacle Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Pinnacle Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Rutherford 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 Pinnacle Elementary School
How many students attend Pinnacle Elementary School?
Pinnacle Elementary School has 254 students enrolled. It is a public school in Rutherfordton, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pinnacle Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Pinnacle Elementary School 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 Pinnacle Elementary School?
98.7% of students at Pinnacle Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pinnacle Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Pinnacle Elementary School is White at 82.3% of enrollment, in Rutherfordton, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pinnacle Elementary School?
Pinnacle Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical 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 Pinnacle Elementary School rank among public schools in Rutherfordton?
By Resource Investment Index, Pinnacle Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Rutherfordton, 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 Rutherfordton on the city page.
Is Pinnacle Elementary School a good school?
Pinnacle Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most North Carolina schools. 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 Rutherford County Schools?
Besides Pinnacle Elementary School, Rutherford County Schools also operates R-S Central High School (763 students), East Rutherford High School (623 students), and Chase High School (596 students). See the Rutherford 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.