Enrollment
289
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Marion, NC
Pleasant Gardens Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Pleasant Gardens Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370294001183
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pleasant Gardens Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of North Carolina schools.
- #4 of 7
- schools in Marion · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.1:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 57.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Pleasant Gardens Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 77% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pleasant Gardens Elementary School ranks #4 of 7 schools in Marion, NC.
School address
District: Mcdowell County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370294001183 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.9%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pleasant Gardens Elementary School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pleasant Gardens Elementary School
Pleasant Gardens Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Marion, North Carolina, enrolling 289 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 57.9% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 289 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 #172.
Its student body is led by White (74%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 42/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 289 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Marion's public schools, it stands alongside Glenwood Elementary School (435 students): Pleasant Gardens Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.1:1 vs 15.5:1).
Mcdowell County Schools also operates Mcdowell High School (1,379 students) and West Mcdowell Middle School (550 students) alongside Pleasant Gardens 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 Pleasant Gardens Elementary School compares
Pleasant Gardens 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 | 13.1:1 | ▼ 17% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.9% | ▼ 12% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 289 | top 78% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.1:1
Leaner classes than 66% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
289
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
13.1:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 23% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 77% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
40.5%
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
$12,857
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
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 289 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 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 74.0%
Hispanic or Latino 16.6%
Two or More 5.9%
Asian 1.7%
African American 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: White at 74.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.1, Pleasant Gardens 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 Mcdowell County Schools, which includes Pleasant Gardens Elementary School.
$12,857
Per student
+7%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.9%
State 58.7%
Federal 24.4%
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 Pleasant Gardens Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mcdowell High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Mcdowell Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Glenwood Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Mcdowell Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Marion Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pleasant Gardens Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,379
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 550
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 435
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 392
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 390
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Marion
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Glenwood Elementary School
Standard public school
435 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
West Marion Elementary School
Standard public school
390 students 13:1 students per teacher
Marion Elementary School
Standard public school
333 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Eastfield Global Magnet School
Standard public school
279 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
North Cove Elementary School
Standard public school
230 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Mcdowell Virtual Academy
Standard public school
140 students 20:1 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 (~289 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pleasant Gardens Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Pleasant Gardens Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Mcdowell 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 Pleasant Gardens Elementary School
How many students attend Pleasant Gardens Elementary School?
Pleasant Gardens Elementary School has 289 students enrolled. It is a public school in Marion, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pleasant Gardens Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Pleasant Gardens Elementary School is 13.1:1, which is 17% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 17% 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 Pleasant Gardens Elementary School?
57.9% of students at Pleasant Gardens Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pleasant Gardens Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Pleasant Gardens Elementary School is White at 74.0% of enrollment, in Marion, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pleasant Gardens Elementary School?
Pleasant Gardens Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Pleasant Gardens Elementary School rank among schools in Marion?
By Resource Investment Index, Pleasant Gardens Elementary School ranks #4 of 7 schools in Marion, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Marion on the city page.
Is Pleasant Gardens Elementary School a good school?
Pleasant Gardens Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of 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 Mcdowell County Schools?
Besides Pleasant Gardens Elementary School, Mcdowell County Schools also operates Mcdowell High School (1,379 students), West Mcdowell Middle School (550 students), and Glenwood Elementary School (435 students). See the Mcdowell 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.