Enrollment
765
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Indian Trail, NC
Porter Ridge Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Porter Ridge Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370462002741
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Porter Ridge Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of North Carolina schools.
- #5 of 5
- schools in Indian Trail · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.8:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 42.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Porter Ridge Elementary has class sizes larger than 80% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Porter Ridge Elementary ranks #5 of 5 schools in Indian Trail, NC.
School address
District: Union County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370462002741 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Porter Ridge Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Porter Ridge Elementary
Porter Ridge Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Indian Trail, North Carolina, enrolling 765 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.8:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 42.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 765 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 441 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #397, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (37%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%) (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 765 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.5% 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): Porter Ridge Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.8:1 vs 18.9:1).
Union County Public Schools also operates Marvin Ridge High (1,961 students) and Weddington High (1,899 students) alongside Porter Ridge 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 Porter Ridge Elementary compares
Porter Ridge 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 | 17.8:1 | ▲ 13% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.3% | ▼ 36% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 765 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.8:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
765
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% 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
17.8:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 80% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
33.5%
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
$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 765 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.2 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 37.0%
Hispanic or Latino 31.5%
African American 19.9%
Asian 5.9%
Two or More 5.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 37.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.8, Porter Ridge 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 Porter Ridge 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 Porter Ridge 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 | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Porter Ridge Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Porter Ridge 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
Poplin Elementary
Standard public school
756 students 18:1 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 (~765 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Porter Ridge Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Porter Ridge 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 Porter Ridge Elementary
How many students attend Porter Ridge Elementary?
Porter Ridge Elementary has 765 students enrolled. It is a public school in Indian Trail, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Porter Ridge Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Porter Ridge Elementary is 17.8:1, which is 13% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Porter Ridge Elementary?
42.3% of students at Porter Ridge Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Porter Ridge Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Porter Ridge Elementary is White at 37.0% of enrollment, in Indian Trail, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Porter Ridge Elementary?
Porter Ridge Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower 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 Porter Ridge Elementary rank among schools in Indian Trail?
By Resource Investment Index, Porter Ridge Elementary ranks #5 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 Porter Ridge Elementary a good school?
Porter Ridge Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% 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 Porter Ridge 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.