Enrollment
711
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Conover, NC
Saint Stephens Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Saint Stephens Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370069000289
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Saint Stephens Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #3 of 4
- schools in Conover · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- students per teacher
- 70.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Saint Stephens Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Saint Stephens Elementary ranks #3 of 4 schools in Conover, NC.
School address
District: Catawba County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370069000289 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Saint Stephens Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Saint Stephens Elementary
Saint Stephens Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Conover, North Carolina, enrolling 711 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 70.5% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 711 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 279 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #112.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (36%) and White (27%) (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 356 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 22.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Conover's public schools, it stands alongside Lyle Creek Elementary (458 students): Saint Stephens Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.2:1 vs 13.9:1).
Catawba County Schools also operates Saint Stephens High (1,268 students) and Bandys High (935 students) alongside Saint Stephens 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 Saint Stephens Elementary compares
Saint Stephens 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 | 14.2:1 | ▼ 10% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.5% | ▲ 7% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 711 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
711
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% 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
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 37% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 63% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
34.3%
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
$11,517
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 356 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
67
in-school suspensions + 59 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
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
Hispanic or Latino 35.7%
White 27.3%
African American 20.5%
Two or More 9.7%
Asian 6.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 35.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.2, Saint Stephens 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 Catawba County Schools, which includes Saint Stephens Elementary.
$11,517
Per student
-4%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.3%
State 55.4%
Federal 22.2%
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 Saint Stephens Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Stephens High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bandys High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fred T Foard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maiden High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bunker Hill High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Saint Stephens Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,268
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 935
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 930
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 852
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 845
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Conover
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~711 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Saint Stephens Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Saint Stephens Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Catawba 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 Saint Stephens Elementary
How many students attend Saint Stephens Elementary?
Saint Stephens Elementary has 711 students enrolled. It is a public school in Conover, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Saint Stephens Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Saint Stephens Elementary is 14.2:1, which is 10% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 10% 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 Saint Stephens Elementary?
70.5% of students at Saint Stephens Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Saint Stephens Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Saint Stephens Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 35.7% of enrollment, in Conover, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Saint Stephens Elementary?
Saint Stephens Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Saint Stephens Elementary rank among schools in Conover?
By Resource Investment Index, Saint Stephens Elementary ranks #3 of 4 schools in Conover, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Conover on the city page.
Is Saint Stephens Elementary a good school?
Saint Stephens Elementary earns 39/100 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 Catawba County Schools?
Besides Saint Stephens Elementary, Catawba County Schools also operates Saint Stephens High (1,268 students), Bandys High (935 students), and Fred T Foard High (930 students). See the Catawba 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.