Enrollment
460
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hickory, NC
Ray Childers Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Ray Childers Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370048002431
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 8
📋 Attendance 15
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ray Childers Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #5 of 7
- schools in Hickory · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.3:1
- students per teacher
- 70.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Ray Childers Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ray Childers Elementary ranks #5 of 7 schools in Hickory, NC.
School address
District: Burke County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370048002431 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.9%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ray Childers Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ray Childers Elementary
Ray Childers Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Hickory, North Carolina, enrolling 460 students.
At 15.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 70.9% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 460 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 333 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #251, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (66%) and Asian (13%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 460 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Hickory's public schools, it stands alongside Snow Creek Elementary (551 students): Ray Childers Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.3:1 vs 13.8:1).
Burke County Schools also operates Freedom High (1,299 students) and East Burke High (874 students) alongside Ray Childers 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 Ray Childers Elementary compares
Ray Childers 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 | 15.3:1 | ▼ 3% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.9% | ▲ 7% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 460 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.3:1
Leaner classes than 44% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
460
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% 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
15.3:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 53% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
33.9%
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
$11,845
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 460 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
22
in-school suspensions + 24 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.0 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 66.1%
Asian 13.3%
Hispanic or Latino 12.6%
Two or More 6.5%
African American 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 66.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.5, Ray Childers Elementary is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Burke County Schools, which includes Ray Childers Elementary.
$11,845
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 15.2%
State 61.7%
Federal 23.1%
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 Ray Childers Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Burke High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Robert L. Patton High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jimmy C Draughn High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ray Childers Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,299
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 874
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 762
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 756
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar other schools in Hickory
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Snow Creek Elementary
Standard public school
551 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Viewmont Elementary
Standard public school
509 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Clyde Campbell Elementary
Standard public school
505 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Webb a Murray Elementary
Standard public school
380 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Oakwood Elementary
Standard public school
336 students 16:1 students per teacher
Southwest Primary
Standard public school
292 students 11.7:1 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 (~460 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ray Childers Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Ray Childers Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Burke 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 Ray Childers Elementary
How many students attend Ray Childers Elementary?
Ray Childers Elementary has 460 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hickory, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ray Childers Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Ray Childers Elementary is 15.3:1, which is 3% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 3% 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 Ray Childers Elementary?
70.9% of students at Ray Childers Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ray Childers Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Ray Childers Elementary is White at 66.1% of enrollment, in Hickory, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ray Childers Elementary?
Ray Childers Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Ray Childers Elementary rank among schools in Hickory?
By Resource Investment Index, Ray Childers Elementary ranks #5 of 7 schools in Hickory, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hickory on the city page.
Is Ray Childers Elementary a good school?
Ray Childers Elementary earns 33/100 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 Burke County Schools?
Besides Ray Childers Elementary, Burke County Schools also operates Freedom High (1,299 students), East Burke High (874 students), and Mountain View Elementary (762 students). See the Burke 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.