Enrollment
1,479
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Asheville, NC
Roberson High
Federal NCES profile for Roberson High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370045000164
👥 S:T ratio 38
📚 AP courses 65
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Roberson High earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #5 of 8
- high schools in Asheville · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.6:1
- students per teacher
- 39.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Roberson High has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Roberson High ranks #5 of 8 high schools in Asheville, NC.
School address
District: Buncombe County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370045000164 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
95.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Roberson High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Roberson High
Roberson High is a large high school in Asheville, North Carolina, enrolling 1,479 students.
At 15.6:1, 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 39.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,479 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 157 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #24.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%) (diversity index 65/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 13 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 296 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 356 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,479 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Asheville's high schools, it stands alongside Asheville High (1,221 students): Roberson High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.6:1 vs 14.9:1).
Buncombe County Schools also operates Reynolds High (1,169 students) and Enka High (1,051 students) alongside Roberson High.
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 Roberson High compares
Roberson High 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 | 15.6:1 | ▼ 1% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.8% | ▼ 40% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,479 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,479
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 57% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.5%
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
$13,190
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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 296 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
235
in-school suspensions + 121 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 15.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 24.1 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 51.1%
Hispanic or Latino 25.8%
African American 12.1%
Two or More 7.2%
Asian 2.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 51.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.2, Roberson High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 13
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Buncombe County Schools, which includes Roberson High.
$13,190
Per student
+10%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.2%
State 49.5%
Federal 21.3%
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 Roberson High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reynolds High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Enka High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Erwin High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Buncombe High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Estes Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Roberson High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,169
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,051
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,013
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 896
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 754
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar high schools in Asheville
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Asheville High
Standard public school
1,221 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Reynolds High
Standard public school
1,169 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Erwin High
Standard public school
1,013 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Nesbitt Discovery Academy
Standard public school
372 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
School of Inquiry and Life Sciences
Standard public school
332 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Early College
Standard public school
271 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~1,479 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Roberson High's federal record.
- Compare Roberson High against another school. Compare schools
- Buncombe 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 Roberson High
How many students attend Roberson High?
Roberson High has 1,479 students enrolled. It is a high school in Asheville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Roberson High?
The student-teacher ratio at Roberson High is 15.6:1, which is 1% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 1% 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 Roberson High?
39.8% of students at Roberson High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Roberson High?
The largest demographic group at Roberson High is White at 51.1% of enrollment, in Asheville, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Roberson High?
Roberson High has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Roberson High rank among high schools in Asheville?
By Resource Investment Index, Roberson High ranks #5 of 8 high schools in Asheville, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Asheville on the city page.
Is Roberson High a good school?
Roberson High earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also one of the largest 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 Buncombe County Schools?
Besides Roberson High, Buncombe County Schools also operates Reynolds High (1,169 students), Enka High (1,051 students), and Erwin High (1,013 students). See the Buncombe 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.