Enrollment
36
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Graham, NC
Ray Street Academy
Federal NCES profile for Ray Street Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 85/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370003002153
👥 S:T ratio 92
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 93
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ray Street Academy earns 85/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in North Carolina.
- #1 of 5
- schools in Graham · Resource Index
- 85
- Resource Index · Higher
- 2.1:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 93.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Ray Street Academy has class sizes smaller than 99% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ray Street Academy ranks #1 of 5 schools in Graham, NC.
School address
District: Alamance-Burlington Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370003002153 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
2.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-87% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
93.0%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ray Street Academy compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ray Street Academy
Ray Street Academy is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Graham, North Carolina, enrolling 36 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 2.1:1, Ray Street Academy is leaner than roughly 99% of North Carolina schools and 87% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 93.0% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 99% of North Carolina schools, with 36 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 100% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 21 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #1, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (47%) and White (33%) (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 36 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Its district draws 23.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 41 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 36 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Graham's public schools, it stands alongside River Mill Academy (780 students): Ray Street Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (2.1:1 vs 16.6:1).
Alamance-Burlington Schools also operates Walter M Williams High (1,206 students) and Southern Alamance High (1,148 students) alongside Ray Street Academy.
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 Street Academy compares
Ray Street Academy 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 | 2.1:1 | ▼ 87% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 93.0% | ▲ 41% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 36 | top 99% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
2.1:1
Leaner classes than 100% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
36
Bigger than 4% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
93.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% 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
2.1:1
students per teacher
- 87% below state mean
Top 1% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 100% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$12,211
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 36 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
16
in-school suspensions + 25 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 44.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 113.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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
African American 47.2%
White 33.3%
Hispanic or Latino 19.4%
Largest group: African American at 47.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.9, Ray Street Academy is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alamance-Burlington Schools, which includes Ray Street Academy.
$12,211
Per student
+2%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.4%
State 58.2%
Federal 23.4%
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 Street Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walter M Williams High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southern Alamance High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Western Alamance High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eastern Alamance High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hawfields Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ray Street Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,206
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,148
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,138
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 952
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 864
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar other schools in Graham
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
River Mill Academy
Standard public school
780 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Alexander Wilson Elementary
Standard public school
609 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
South Graham Elementary
Standard public school
518 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
North Graham Elementary
Standard public school
362 students 12.1:1 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 (~36 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~2.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ray Street Academy's federal record.
- Compare Ray Street Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Alamance-Burlington 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 Street Academy
How many students attend Ray Street Academy?
Ray Street Academy has 36 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Graham, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ray Street Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Ray Street Academy is 2.1:1, which is 87% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 87% 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 Street Academy?
93.0% of students at Ray Street Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ray Street Academy?
The largest demographic group at Ray Street Academy is African American at 47.2% of enrollment, in Graham, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ray Street Academy?
Ray Street Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 85/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ray Street Academy rank among schools in Graham?
By Resource Investment Index, Ray Street Academy ranks #1 of 5 schools in Graham, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Graham on the city page.
Is Ray Street Academy a good school?
Ray Street Academy earns 85/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in North Carolina. 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 Alamance-Burlington Schools?
Besides Ray Street Academy, Alamance-Burlington Schools also operates Walter M Williams High (1,206 students), Southern Alamance High (1,148 students), and Western Alamance High (1,138 students). See the Alamance-Burlington 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.