Enrollment
561
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Rutherfordton, NC
R-S Middle School
Federal NCES profile for R-S Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370408000925
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
R-S Middle School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Rutherfordton · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14:1
- students per teacher
- 99.5%
- free-lunch eligible
R-S Middle School has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, R-S Middle School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Rutherfordton, NC.
School address
District: Rutherford County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370408000925 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How R-S Middle School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at R-S Middle School
R-S Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Rutherfordton, North Carolina, enrolling 561 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 99.5% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 561 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
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 559 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #467, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and African American (14%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 561 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 56.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 242 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 561 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Rutherford County Schools also operates R-S Central High School (763 students) and East Rutherford High School (623 students) alongside R-S 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 R-S Middle School compares
R-S 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 | 14:1 | ▼ 11% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.5% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 561 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
561
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 35% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 65% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
56.3%
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
$14,170
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 561 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
156
in-school suspensions + 86 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 27.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 43.1 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 66.5%
African American 13.9%
Two or More 10.0%
Hispanic or Latino 9.1%
Asian 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 66.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.0, R-S 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 Rutherford County Schools, which includes R-S Middle School.
$14,170
Per student
+18%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.0%
State 53.8%
Federal 24.2%
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 R-S Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-S Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Rutherford High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Chase High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ellenboro Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Rutherford Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to R-S Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 763
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 623
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 596
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 567
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 533
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
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 (~561 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on R-S Middle School's federal record.
- Compare R-S Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Rutherford 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 R-S Middle School
How many students attend R-S Middle School?
R-S Middle School has 561 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Rutherfordton, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at R-S Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at R-S Middle School is 14:1, which is 11% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 11% 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 R-S Middle School?
99.5% of students at R-S Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of R-S Middle School?
The largest demographic group at R-S Middle School is White at 66.5% of enrollment, in Rutherfordton, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for R-S Middle School?
R-S Middle School 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 R-S Middle School rank among public schools in Rutherfordton?
By Resource Investment Index, R-S Middle School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Rutherfordton, 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 Rutherfordton on the city page.
Is R-S Middle School a good school?
R-S Middle School earns 29/100 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 Rutherford County Schools?
Besides R-S Middle School, Rutherford County Schools also operates R-S Central High School (763 students), East Rutherford High School (623 students), and Chase High School (596 students). See the Rutherford 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.