Enrollment
523
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hillsborough, NC
River Park Elementary
Federal NCES profile for River Park Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 58/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370348001442
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
River Park Elementary earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of North Carolina schools.
- #1 of 6
- schools in Hillsborough · Resource Index
- 58
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.1:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 32.6%
- free-lunch eligible
River Park Elementary has class sizes smaller than 77% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, River Park Elementary ranks #1 of 6 schools in Hillsborough, NC.
School address
District: Orange County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370348001442 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How River Park Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at River Park Elementary
River Park Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Hillsborough, North Carolina, enrolling 523 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 32.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 523 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 290 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #7, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (59%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 262 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
13.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Hillsborough's public schools, it stands alongside Eno River Academy (828 students): River Park Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.1:1 vs 13.8:1).
Orange County Schools also operates Orange High (1,161 students) and Cedar Ridge High (1,148 students) alongside River Park 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 Park Elementary compares
River Park 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 | 13.1:1 | ▼ 17% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.6% | ▼ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 523 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.1:1
Leaner classes than 66% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
523
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% 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
13.1:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 23% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 77% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$14,085
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 262 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 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 59.1%
Hispanic or Latino 25.0%
Two or More 7.6%
African American 5.2%
Asian 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: White at 59.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.9, River Park 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 Orange County Schools, which includes River Park Elementary.
$14,085
Per student
+17%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.0%
State 48.0%
Federal 14.1%
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 Park Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cedar Ridge High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| A L Stanback Middle | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Efland Cheeks Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| New Hope Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to River Park Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,161
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,148
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 532
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 528
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar other schools in Hillsborough
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Eno River Academy
Standard public school
828 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Hillsborough Elementary
Standard public school
435 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Grady Brown Elementary
Standard public school
406 students 11.3:1 students per teacher
Pathways Elementary
Standard public school
371 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Central Elementary
Standard public school
261 students 10:1 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 (~523 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on River Park Elementary's federal record.
- Compare River Park Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Orange 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 Park Elementary
How many students attend River Park Elementary?
River Park Elementary has 523 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hillsborough, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at River Park Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at River Park Elementary is 13.1:1, which is 17% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 17% 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 Park Elementary?
32.6% of students at River Park Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of River Park Elementary?
The largest demographic group at River Park Elementary is White at 59.1% of enrollment, in Hillsborough, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for River Park Elementary?
River Park Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 58/100 (higher 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 Park Elementary rank among schools in Hillsborough?
By Resource Investment Index, River Park Elementary ranks #1 of 6 schools in Hillsborough, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hillsborough on the city page.
Is River Park Elementary a good school?
River Park Elementary earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% 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 Orange County Schools?
Besides River Park Elementary, Orange County Schools also operates Orange High (1,161 students), Cedar Ridge High (1,148 students), and A L Stanback Middle (648 students). See the Orange 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.