Enrollment
981
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Clayton, NC
River Dell Elementary
Federal NCES profile for River Dell Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370237002672
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 2
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
River Dell Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #5 of 7
- schools in Clayton · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- students per teacher
- 31.9%
- free-lunch eligible
River Dell Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, River Dell Elementary ranks #5 of 7 schools in Clayton, NC.
School address
District: Johnston County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370237002672 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
61.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.9%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-52% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How River Dell Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at River Dell Elementary
River Dell Elementary is a large combined-grade school in Clayton, North Carolina, enrolling 981 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.1:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 31.9% free-meal eligibility runs 52% below the North Carolina average.
Enrollment of 981 puts it in the larger 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 274 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #127.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and African American (22%) (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 491 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 17.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Clayton's public schools, it stands alongside American Leadership Academy - Johnston (2,082 students): River Dell Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Johnston County Public Schools also operates Corinth Holders High (2,187 students) and Clayton High (1,929 students) alongside River Dell 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 River Dell Elementary compares
River Dell 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 | 16.1:1 | ▲ 2% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.9% | ▼ 52% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 981 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
981
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 64% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
18.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$10,788
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 491 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
40
in-school suspensions + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.7 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 48.7%
African American 22.4%
Hispanic or Latino 19.6%
Two or More 6.9%
Asian 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 48.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.9, River Dell Elementary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Johnston County Public Schools, which includes River Dell Elementary.
$10,788
Per student
-10%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.7%
State 62.2%
Federal 17.1%
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 River Dell Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corinth Holders High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clayton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cleveland High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Johnston High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Smithfield-Selma High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to River Dell Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,187
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,929
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,889
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,563
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,548
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other schools in Clayton
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
American Leadership Academy - Johnston
Standard public school
2,082 students
Cleveland Elementary
Standard public school
851 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
West Clayton Elementary
Standard public school
742 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Riverwood Elementary
Standard public school
728 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Powhatan Elementary
Standard public school
656 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
East Clayton Elementary
Standard public school
524 students 15.4:1 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 (~981 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on River Dell Elementary's federal record.
- Compare River Dell Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Johnston County Public 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 Dell Elementary
How many students attend River Dell Elementary?
River Dell Elementary has 981 students enrolled. It is a public school in Clayton, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at River Dell Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at River Dell Elementary is 16.1:1, which is 2% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at River Dell Elementary?
31.9% of students at River Dell Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of River Dell Elementary?
The largest demographic group at River Dell Elementary is White at 48.7% of enrollment, in Clayton, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for River Dell Elementary?
River Dell Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Dell Elementary rank among schools in Clayton?
By Resource Investment Index, River Dell Elementary ranks #5 of 7 schools in Clayton, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Clayton on the city page.
Is River Dell Elementary a good school?
River Dell Elementary earns 41/100 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 Johnston County Public Schools?
Besides River Dell Elementary, Johnston County Public Schools also operates Corinth Holders High (2,187 students), Clayton High (1,929 students), and Cleveland High (1,889 students). See the Johnston County Public 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.