- Enrollment
- 596
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Columbus, NC
Polk County Early College
Federal NCES profile for Polk County Early College, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 66/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370372003006
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 79
📋 Attendance 86
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Polk County Early College earns 66/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in North Carolina.
- 66
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.3:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 45.2%
- free-lunch eligible
- 52
- students enrolled
Polk County Early College has class sizes larger than 75% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Polk County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370372003006 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-29 students YoY
Polk County Early College shrank from 84 students in 2022-23 to 55 in 2023-24 (-34.5%).
Teacher FTE added 3.9 → 4.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-29 students YoY 370372003006 · Columbus, NC High · SMALL · TRAD
52 enr · 17.3:1 · 45.2% lunch · RII 66
Nearest enrollment peer: Polk County High School (596 students)
Polk County Early College shrank from 84 students in 2022-23 to 55 in 2023-24 (-34.5%). Teacher FTE added 3.9 → 4.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Polk County Early College in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Polk County Hi
Polk County High School
596 students
- Polk County Mi
Polk County Middle School
454 students
- Polk Central E
Polk Central Elementary School
379 students
- Tryon Elementa
Tryon Elementary School
367 students
- Saluda Element 142
Saluda Elementary School
142 students
- This school 52
Polk County Early College
52 students
What this shows Polk County Early College reports 52 students on the CCD universe file.
How Polk County Early College compares
Polk County Early College 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 | 17.3:1 | ▲ 9% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.2% | ▼ 32% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 52 | top 98% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.3:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
52
Bigger than 6% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
45.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
17.3:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 75% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
5.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$15,041
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,294
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 88.5%
Hispanic or Latino 9.6%
Two or More 1.9%
Largest group: White at 88.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.7, Polk County Early College is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Polk County Schools reports $15,041 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Polk County Early College Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Polk County Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Polk Central Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tryon Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Saluda Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Polk County Early College's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 454
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 379
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 367
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 142
- Students per teacher
- 9.5:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
Similar high schools in Columbus
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 (~52 students)
Frequently asked questions about Polk County Early College
How many students attend Polk County Early College?
Polk County Early College has 52 students enrolled. It is a high school in Columbus, NC. CCD year-over-year: 84 (2022-23) → 55 (2023-24), down 29.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Polk County Early College?
The student-teacher ratio at Polk County Early College is 17.3:1, which is 9% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Polk County Early College?
45.2% of students at Polk County Early College are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Polk County Early College?
The largest demographic group at Polk County Early College is White at 88.5% of enrollment, in Columbus, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Polk County Early College?
Polk County Early College has a Resource Investment Index of 66/100 (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).
What other schools are in Polk County Schools?
Besides Polk County Early College, Polk County Schools also operates Polk County High School (596 students), Polk County Middle School (454 students), and Polk Central Elementary School (379 students). See the Polk County Schools district page for the complete list.