Enrollment
591
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Richlands, NC
Richlands Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Richlands Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370345001428
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 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
Richlands Elementary earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Richlands · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.4:1
- students per teacher
- 46.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Richlands Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Richlands Elementary ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Richlands, NC.
School address
District: Onslow County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370345001428 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.0%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Richlands Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Richlands Elementary
Richlands Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Richlands, North Carolina, enrolling 591 students.
At 14.4:1, 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.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 46.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 591 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 465 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #430, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (64%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 591 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 51.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Richlands's elementary schools, it stands alongside Heritage Elementary School (565 students): Richlands Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.4:1 vs 16.6:1).
Onslow County Schools also operates Jacksonville High (1,441 students) and White Oak High (1,252 students) alongside Richlands 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 Richlands Elementary compares
Richlands 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 | 14.4:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.0% | ▼ 30% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 591 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
591
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% below 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
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 41% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
51.3%
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
$10,680
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 591 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
24
in-school suspensions + 25 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.3 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 63.6%
Hispanic or Latino 17.6%
African American 9.1%
Two or More 8.8%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 63.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.8, Richlands Elementary is about as mixed as the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Onslow County Schools, which includes Richlands Elementary.
$10,680
Per student
-11%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.1%
State 57.2%
Federal 21.7%
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 Richlands Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| White Oak High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Swansboro High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dixon High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northside High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Richlands Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,441
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,252
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,232
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,085
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Richlands
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~591 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Richlands Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Richlands Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Onslow 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 Richlands Elementary
How many students attend Richlands Elementary?
Richlands Elementary has 591 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Richlands, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Richlands Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Richlands Elementary is 14.4:1, which is 9% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 8% 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 Richlands Elementary?
46.0% of students at Richlands Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Richlands Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Richlands Elementary is White at 63.6% of enrollment, in Richlands, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Richlands Elementary?
Richlands Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (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 Richlands Elementary rank among public schools in Richlands?
By Resource Investment Index, Richlands Elementary ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Richlands, 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 Richlands on the city page.
Is Richlands Elementary a good school?
Richlands Elementary earns 28/100 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 Onslow County Schools?
Besides Richlands Elementary, Onslow County Schools also operates Jacksonville High (1,441 students), White Oak High (1,252 students), and Swansboro High (1,232 students). See the Onslow 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.