Enrollment
417
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fayetteville, NC
Ponderosa Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Ponderosa Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370001100427
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ponderosa Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #11 of 27
- schools in Fayetteville · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 99.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Ponderosa Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ponderosa Elementary ranks #11 of 27 schools in Fayetteville, NC.
School address
District: Cumberland County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370001100427 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ponderosa Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ponderosa Elementary
Ponderosa Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Fayetteville, North Carolina, enrolling 417 students.
At 15.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 99.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 417 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 519 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #182.
Its student body is led by African American (57%) and Hispanic or Latino (22%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 278 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 25.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Fayetteville's public schools, it stands alongside Alpha Academy (960 students): Ponderosa Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.4:1 vs 22.3:1).
Cumberland County Schools also operates Jack Britt High (1,940 students) and Pine Forest High (1,551 students) alongside Ponderosa Elementary.
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 Ponderosa Elementary compares
Ponderosa Elementary 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 | 15.4:1 | ▼ 3% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.2% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 417 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
417
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.2%
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
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 55% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
37.6%
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
$12,412
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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 278 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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
African American 57.3%
Hispanic or Latino 21.8%
Two or More 9.8%
White 7.2%
Asian 2.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 57.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.9, Ponderosa Elementary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cumberland County Schools, which includes Ponderosa Elementary.
$12,412
Per student
+3%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.5%
State 57.7%
Federal 25.7%
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 Ponderosa Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Britt High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pine Forest High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cape Fear High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South View High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gray's Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ponderosa Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,940
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,551
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,515
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,461
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,458
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar other schools in Fayetteville
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Alpha Academy
Standard public school
960 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
The Capitol Encore Academy
Standard public school
853 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Bill Hefner Elementary
Standard public school
712 students 17:1 students per teacher
New Century International Elementary
Standard public school
686 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
E E Miller Elementary
Standard public school
656 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Lake Rim Elementary
Standard public school
656 students 16:1 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 (~417 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ponderosa Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Ponderosa Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Cumberland 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 Ponderosa Elementary
How many students attend Ponderosa Elementary?
Ponderosa Elementary has 417 students enrolled. It is a public school in Fayetteville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ponderosa Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Ponderosa Elementary is 15.4:1, which is 3% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 2% 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 Ponderosa Elementary?
99.2% of students at Ponderosa Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ponderosa Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Ponderosa Elementary is African American at 57.3% of enrollment, in Fayetteville, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ponderosa Elementary?
Ponderosa Elementary 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 Ponderosa Elementary rank among schools in Fayetteville?
By Resource Investment Index, Ponderosa Elementary ranks #11 of 27 schools in Fayetteville, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Fayetteville on the city page.
Is Ponderosa Elementary a good school?
Ponderosa Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. 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 Cumberland County Schools?
Besides Ponderosa Elementary, Cumberland County Schools also operates Jack Britt High (1,940 students), Pine Forest High (1,551 students), and Cape Fear High (1,515 students). See the Cumberland 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.