Enrollment
756
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Indian Trail, NC
Poplin Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Poplin Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370462003096
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Poplin Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of North Carolina schools.
- #4 of 5
- schools in Indian Trail · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 32.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Poplin Elementary has class sizes larger than 81% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Poplin Elementary ranks #4 of 5 schools in Indian Trail, NC.
School address
District: Union County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370462003096 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Poplin Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Poplin Elementary
Poplin Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Indian Trail, North Carolina, enrolling 756 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 32.2% free-meal eligibility runs 51% below the North Carolina average.
Enrollment of 756 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 341 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #302, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 756 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Indian Trail's public schools, it stands alongside Union Prep Academy at Indian Trail (1,268 students): Poplin Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18:1 vs 18.9:1).
Union County Public Schools also operates Marvin Ridge High (1,961 students) and Weddington High (1,899 students) alongside Poplin 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 Poplin Elementary compares
Poplin 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 | 18:1 | ▲ 14% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.2% | ▼ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 756 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
756
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 81% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
27.4%
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
$11,010
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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 756 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.1 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 56.9%
Hispanic or Latino 16.5%
African American 14.4%
Two or More 7.3%
Asian 3.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 56.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.1, Poplin 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 Union County Public Schools, which includes Poplin Elementary.
$11,010
Per student
-8%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 55.8%
Federal 15.3%
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 Poplin Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marvin Ridge High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Weddington High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cuthbertson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Porter Ridge High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Porter Ridge Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Poplin Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,961
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,857
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,809
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,447
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar other schools in Indian Trail
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Union Prep Academy at Indian Trail
Standard public school
1,268 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Porter Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
765 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Indian Trail Elementary
Standard public school
633 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Hemby Bridge Elementary
Standard public school
491 students 17.5:1 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 (~756 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Poplin Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Poplin Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Union County Public 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 Poplin Elementary
How many students attend Poplin Elementary?
Poplin Elementary has 756 students enrolled. It is a public school in Indian Trail, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Poplin Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Poplin Elementary is 18:1, which is 14% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Poplin Elementary?
32.2% of students at Poplin Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Poplin Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Poplin Elementary is White at 56.9% of enrollment, in Indian Trail, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Poplin Elementary?
Poplin Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Poplin Elementary rank among schools in Indian Trail?
By Resource Investment Index, Poplin Elementary ranks #4 of 5 schools in Indian Trail, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Indian Trail on the city page.
Is Poplin Elementary a good school?
Poplin Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% 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 Union County Public Schools?
Besides Poplin Elementary, Union County Public Schools also operates Marvin Ridge High (1,961 students), Weddington High (1,899 students), and Cuthbertson High (1,857 students). See the Union County Public Schools district page for the complete list.
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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.