Enrollment
264
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Murphy, NC
Ranger Elementary/Middle
Federal NCES profile for Ranger Elementary/Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370078000325
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ranger Elementary/Middle earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of North Carolina schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most North Carolina schools.
- #4 of 5
- schools in Murphy · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.6:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 98.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Ranger Elementary/Middle has class sizes smaller than 83% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ranger Elementary/Middle ranks #4 of 5 schools in Murphy, NC.
School address
District: Cherokee County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370078000325 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ranger Elementary/Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ranger Elementary/Middle
Ranger Elementary/Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Murphy, North Carolina, enrolling 264 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 98.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 264 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 272 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #130.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 16/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 264 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Cherokee County Schools spends $15,950 per pupil, 33% above the North Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 27.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Murphy's public schools, it stands alongside Murphy Elementary (467 students): Ranger Elementary/Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.6:1 vs 11.1:1).
Cherokee County Schools also operates Murphy Elementary (467 students) and Murphy High (424 students) alongside Ranger Elementary/Middle.
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 Ranger Elementary/Middle compares
Ranger Elementary/Middle 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 | 12.6:1 | ▼ 20% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.8% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 264 | top 82% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.6:1
Leaner classes than 70% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
264
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.8%
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
12.6:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 17% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 83% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
41.7%
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
$15,950
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 264 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 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 91.3%
Hispanic or Latino 4.9%
Two or More 3.0%
African American 0.8%
Largest group: White at 91.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.3, Ranger Elementary/Middle is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cherokee County Schools, which includes Ranger Elementary/Middle.
$15,950
Per student
+33%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.4%
State 52.4%
Federal 27.2%
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 Ranger Elementary/Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Murphy High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Murphy Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Andrews Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Andrews High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ranger Elementary/Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 467
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 330
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 229
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Murphy
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Murphy Elementary
Standard public school
467 students 11.1:1 students per teacher
Peachtree Elementary
Standard public school
166 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Martins Creek Elementary/Mid
Standard public school
137 students 9.8:1 students per teacher
Hiwassee Dam Elementary/Middle
Standard public school
122 students 12.2:1 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 (~264 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ranger Elementary/Middle's federal record.
- Compare Ranger Elementary/Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Cherokee 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 Ranger Elementary/Middle
How many students attend Ranger Elementary/Middle?
Ranger Elementary/Middle has 264 students enrolled. It is a public school in Murphy, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ranger Elementary/Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Ranger Elementary/Middle is 12.6:1, which is 20% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 20% 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 Ranger Elementary/Middle?
98.8% of students at Ranger Elementary/Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ranger Elementary/Middle?
The largest demographic group at Ranger Elementary/Middle is White at 91.3% of enrollment, in Murphy, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ranger Elementary/Middle?
Ranger Elementary/Middle 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 Ranger Elementary/Middle rank among schools in Murphy?
By Resource Investment Index, Ranger Elementary/Middle ranks #4 of 5 schools in Murphy, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Murphy on the city page.
Is Ranger Elementary/Middle a good school?
Ranger Elementary/Middle earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of North Carolina schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Cherokee County Schools?
Besides Ranger Elementary/Middle, Cherokee County Schools also operates Murphy Elementary (467 students), Murphy High (424 students), and Murphy Middle (353 students). See the Cherokee 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.