Enrollment
82
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Forest City, NC
Rutherford Opportunity Center
Federal NCES profile for Rutherford Opportunity Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 78/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370408002607
👥 S:T ratio 81
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 84
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rutherford Opportunity Center earns 78/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in North Carolina.
- #1 of 5
- schools in Forest City · Resource Index
- 78
- Resource Index · Higher
- 4.8:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 97.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Rutherford Opportunity Center has class sizes smaller than 99% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rutherford Opportunity Center ranks #1 of 5 schools in Forest City, NC.
School address
District: Rutherford County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370408002607 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
4.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-70% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
97.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rutherford Opportunity Center compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rutherford Opportunity Center
Rutherford Opportunity Center is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Forest City, North Carolina, enrolling 82 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 4.8:1, Rutherford Opportunity Center is leaner than roughly 99% of North Carolina schools and 70% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 97.5% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 97% of North Carolina schools, with 82 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 99% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 45 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #5, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and African American (15%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 82 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Its district draws 24.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 37 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 82 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Forest City's public schools, it stands alongside Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School (460 students): Rutherford Opportunity Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (4.8:1 vs 16.4:1).
Rutherford County Schools also operates R-S Central High School (763 students) and East Rutherford High School (623 students) alongside Rutherford Opportunity Center.
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 Rutherford Opportunity Center compares
Rutherford Opportunity Center 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 | 4.8:1 | ▼ 70% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 97.5% | ▲ 48% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 82 | top 97% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
4.8:1
Leaner classes than 99% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
82
Bigger than 8% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
97.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% 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
4.8:1
students per teacher
- 70% below state mean
Top 1% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 99% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$14,170
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 82 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 31 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 45.1 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 70.7%
African American 14.6%
Two or More 8.5%
Hispanic or Latino 6.1%
Largest group: White at 70.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.8, Rutherford Opportunity Center is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rutherford County Schools, which includes Rutherford Opportunity Center.
$14,170
Per student
+18%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.0%
State 53.8%
Federal 24.2%
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 Rutherford Opportunity Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-S Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Rutherford High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chase High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ellenboro Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| R-S Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rutherford Opportunity Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 763
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 623
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 596
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 567
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 561
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar other schools in Forest City
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School
Standard public school
460 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School
Standard public school
459 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Harris Elementary School
Standard public school
434 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Mt. Vernon-Ruth Elementary School
Standard public school
231 students 12.8:1 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 (~82 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~4.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rutherford Opportunity Center's federal record.
- Compare Rutherford Opportunity Center against another school. Compare schools
- Rutherford 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 Rutherford Opportunity Center
How many students attend Rutherford Opportunity Center?
Rutherford Opportunity Center has 82 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Forest City, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rutherford Opportunity Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Rutherford Opportunity Center is 4.8:1, which is 70% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 69% 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 Rutherford Opportunity Center?
97.5% of students at Rutherford Opportunity Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rutherford Opportunity Center?
The largest demographic group at Rutherford Opportunity Center is White at 70.7% of enrollment, in Forest City, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rutherford Opportunity Center?
Rutherford Opportunity Center has a Resource Investment Index of 78/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Rutherford Opportunity Center rank among schools in Forest City?
By Resource Investment Index, Rutherford Opportunity Center ranks #1 of 5 schools in Forest City, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Forest City on the city page.
Is Rutherford Opportunity Center a good school?
Rutherford Opportunity Center earns 78/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest 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 Rutherford County Schools?
Besides Rutherford Opportunity Center, Rutherford County Schools also operates R-S Central High School (763 students), East Rutherford High School (623 students), and Chase High School (596 students). See the Rutherford 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.