Enrollment
995
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Raleigh, NC
River Bend Middle
Federal NCES profile for River Bend Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370472003412
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
River Bend Middle earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of North Carolina schools.
- #15 of 17
- middle schools in Raleigh · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.3:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 67.3%
- free-lunch eligible
River Bend Middle has class sizes smaller than 75% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, River Bend Middle ranks #15 of 17 middle schools in Raleigh, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472003412 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
75.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How River Bend Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at River Bend Middle
River Bend Middle is a higher-need, large middle school in Raleigh, North Carolina, enrolling 995 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 67.3% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 90% of state schools at 995 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 172 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #54.
Its student body is led by African American (44%) and Hispanic or Latino (39%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 332 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 698 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 995 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 Raleigh's middle schools, it stands alongside West Millbrook Middle (1,164 students): River Bend Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.3:1 vs 18.8:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside River Bend 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 River Bend Middle compares
River Bend 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 | 13.3:1 | ▼ 16% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.3% | ▲ 2% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 995 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
995
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% 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
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 25% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
38.0%
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
$11,859
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 332 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
415
in-school suspensions + 283 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 41.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 70.2 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 44.2%
Hispanic or Latino 39.4%
White 7.6%
Asian 4.8%
Two or More 3.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 44.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.0, River Bend Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wake County Schools, which includes River Bend Middle.
$11,859
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 54.5%
Federal 16.6%
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 River Bend Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Friendship High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enloe High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Panther Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millbrook High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to River Bend Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,748
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,643
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,609
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,498
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,449
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar middle schools in Raleigh
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
West Millbrook Middle
Standard public school
1,164 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Oberlin Middle
Standard public school
1,049 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Martin Middle
Standard public school
1,011 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Dillard Drive Middle
Standard public school
977 students 15:1 students per teacher
Ligon Middle
Standard public school
959 students 16:1 students per teacher
Carnage Middle
Standard public school
924 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
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 (~995 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on River Bend Middle's federal record.
- Compare River Bend Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Wake 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 River Bend Middle
How many students attend River Bend Middle?
River Bend Middle has 995 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Raleigh, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at River Bend Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at River Bend Middle is 13.3:1, which is 16% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 15% 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 River Bend Middle?
67.3% of students at River Bend Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of River Bend Middle?
The largest demographic group at River Bend Middle is African American at 44.2% of enrollment, in Raleigh, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for River Bend Middle?
River Bend Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 River Bend Middle rank among middle schools in Raleigh?
By Resource Investment Index, River Bend Middle ranks #15 of 17 middle schools in Raleigh, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Raleigh on the city page.
Is River Bend Middle a good school?
River Bend Middle earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of 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 Wake County Schools?
Besides River Bend Middle, Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students), Enloe High (2,643 students), and Panther Creek High (2,609 students). See the Wake 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.