- Enrollment
- 763
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
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 →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-21 students YoY
Rutherford Opportunity Center shrank from 119 students in 2022-23 to 98 in 2023-24 (-17.6%).
Teacher FTE lost 17.1 → 15.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-21 students YoY 370408002607 · Forest City, NC Other · SMALL · TRAD
82 enr · 4.8:1 · 97.5% lunch · RII 78
Nearest enrollment peer: R-S Central High School (763 students)
Rutherford Opportunity Center shrank from 119 students in 2022-23 to 98 in 2023-24 (-17.6%). Teacher FTE lost 17.1 → 15.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Rutherford Opportunity Center in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- R-S Central Hi
R-S Central High School
763 students
- East Rutherfor
East Rutherford High School
623 students
- Chase High Sch
Chase High School
596 students
- Ellenboro Elem
Ellenboro Elementary School
567 students
- R-S Middle Sch
R-S Middle School
561 students
- This school 82
Rutherford Opportunity Center
82 students
What this shows Rutherford Opportunity Center reports 82 students on the CCD universe file.
How Rutherford Opportunity Center compares
Rutherford Opportunity Center is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 methodology
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
$14,515
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,294
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.
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
District finance for Rutherford County Schools reports $14,515 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
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
- 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
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~82 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~4.8:1)
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. CCD year-over-year: 119 (2022-23) → 98 (2023-24), down 21.
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, gifted-program reporting, 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.
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.