Enrollment
325
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lincolnton, NC
Pumpkin Center Primary
Federal NCES profile for Pumpkin Center Primary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370268002469
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 68
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pumpkin Center Primary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #7 of 7
- schools in Lincolnton · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.3:1
- students per teacher
- 38.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Pumpkin Center Primary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pumpkin Center Primary ranks #7 of 7 schools in Lincolnton, NC.
School address
District: Lincoln County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370268002469 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.9%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pumpkin Center Primary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pumpkin Center Primary
Pumpkin Center Primary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Lincolnton, North Carolina, enrolling 325 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.3:1 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 38.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 325 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 222 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #157.
Its student body is predominantly White (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 35/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 325 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
12.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 18.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Lincolnton's public schools, it stands alongside Battleground Elementary (420 students): Pumpkin Center Primary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.3:1 vs 12.7:1).
Lincoln County Schools also operates North Lincoln High (1,126 students) and East Lincoln High (1,047 students) alongside Pumpkin Center Primary.
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 Pumpkin Center Primary compares
Pumpkin Center Primary 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 | 16.3:1 | ▲ 3% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.9% | ▼ 41% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 325 | top 75% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.3:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
325
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.3:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 66% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 34% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
12.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$10,582
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 325 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 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 80.0%
Hispanic or Latino 9.8%
Asian 3.4%
African American 3.1%
Two or More 3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 80.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.7, Pumpkin Center Primary is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lincoln County Schools, which includes Pumpkin Center Primary.
$10,582
Per student
-12%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.4%
State 58.7%
Federal 18.8%
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 Pumpkin Center Primary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Lincoln High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Lincoln High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincolnton High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Lincoln Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Lincoln Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pumpkin Center Primary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,126
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,047
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 797
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 774
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 738
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other schools in Lincolnton
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Battleground Elementary
Standard public school
420 students 12.7:1 students per teacher
Childers Elementary
Standard public school
418 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Ge Massey Elementary
Standard public school
370 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Love Memorial Elementary
Standard public school
315 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
S Ray Lowder Elementary
Standard public school
306 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Asbury Academy
Alternative education program
34 students 4.3:1 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 (~325 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pumpkin Center Primary's federal record.
- Compare Pumpkin Center Primary against another school. Compare schools
- Lincoln 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 Pumpkin Center Primary
How many students attend Pumpkin Center Primary?
Pumpkin Center Primary has 325 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lincolnton, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pumpkin Center Primary?
The student-teacher ratio at Pumpkin Center Primary is 16.3:1, which is 3% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pumpkin Center Primary?
38.9% of students at Pumpkin Center Primary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pumpkin Center Primary?
The largest demographic group at Pumpkin Center Primary is White at 80.0% of enrollment, in Lincolnton, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pumpkin Center Primary?
Pumpkin Center Primary has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Pumpkin Center Primary rank among schools in Lincolnton?
By Resource Investment Index, Pumpkin Center Primary ranks #7 of 7 schools in Lincolnton, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lincolnton on the city page.
Is Pumpkin Center Primary a good school?
Pumpkin Center Primary earns 42/100 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 Lincoln County Schools?
Besides Pumpkin Center Primary, Lincoln County Schools also operates North Lincoln High (1,126 students), East Lincoln High (1,047 students), and Lincolnton High (797 students). See the Lincoln 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.