Enrollment
454
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Mill Spring, NC
Polk County Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Polk County Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 58/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370372002790
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 64
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Polk County Middle School earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Mill Spring · Resource Index
- 58
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.9:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 52.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Polk County Middle School has class sizes smaller than 88% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Polk County Middle School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Mill Spring, NC.
School address
District: Polk County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370372002790 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Polk County Middle School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Polk County Middle School
Polk County Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Mill Spring, North Carolina, enrolling 454 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.9:1, Polk County Middle School is leaner than roughly 88% of North Carolina schools and 25% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 52.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 454 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 460 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #5, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (75%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%) (diversity index 42/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 182 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Polk County Schools spends $15,096 per pupil, 26% above the North Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Polk County Schools also operates Polk County High School (596 students) and Polk Central Elementary School (379 students) alongside Polk County Middle 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 Polk County Middle School compares
Polk County Middle 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 | 11.9:1 | ▼ 25% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.8% | ▼ 20% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 454 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.9:1
Leaner classes than 76% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
454
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% 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
11.9:1
students per teacher
- 25% below state mean
Top 12% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
20.9%
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
$15,096
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
Counselors2.5 FTE
Per 182 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
51
in-school suspensions + 32 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.3 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 74.7%
Hispanic or Latino 14.1%
Two or More 6.4%
African American 4.2%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 74.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 41.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 41.6, Polk County Middle 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 Polk County Schools, which includes Polk County Middle School.
$15,096
Per student
+26%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.0%
State 50.5%
Federal 19.5%
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 Polk County Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Polk Central Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tryon Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Saluda Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sunny View Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Polk County Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 596
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- 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
- Enrollment
- 120
- Students per teacher
- 10.9:1
- Resource Index
- 63/100
Similar middle 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 (~454 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Polk County Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Polk County Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Polk 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 Polk County Middle School
How many students attend Polk County Middle School?
Polk County Middle School has 454 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Mill Spring, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Polk County Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Polk County Middle School is 11.9:1, which is 25% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 24% 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 Polk County Middle School?
52.8% of students at Polk County Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Polk County Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Polk County Middle School is White at 74.7% of enrollment, in Mill Spring, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Polk County Middle School?
Polk County Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 58/100 (higher 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 Polk County Middle School rank among public schools in Mill Spring?
By Resource Investment Index, Polk County Middle School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Mill Spring, 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 Mill Spring on the city page.
Is Polk County Middle School a good school?
Polk County Middle School earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% 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 Polk County Schools?
Besides Polk County Middle School, Polk County Schools also operates Polk County High School (596 students), Polk Central Elementary School (379 students), and Tryon Elementary School (367 students). See the Polk 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.