Other / mixed grade configuration · Saluda, NC

Saluda Elementary School

Federal NCES profile for Saluda Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.

2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370372001511
0/100100/10059/100
👥 S:T ratio
62
🌟 Gifted program
70
🎓 Counselors
43
📋 Attendance
60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →

The verdict

Saluda Elementary School earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% of North Carolina schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most North Carolina schools.

59
Resource Index · Higher
9.5:1
small classes for North Carolina
39.7%
free-lunch eligible
142
students enrolled

Saluda Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 95% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

-1 students YoY

Saluda Elementary School held near 145 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount).

Teacher FTE added 15.0 → 16.0 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Steady CCD campus

-1 students YoY 370372001511 · Saluda, NC Other · SMALL · TRAD

142 enr · 9.5:1 · 39.7% lunch · RII 59

Nearest enrollment peer: Polk County High School (596 students)

Saluda Elementary School held near 145 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount). Teacher FTE added 15.0 → 16.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →

Saluda Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood

Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers

students

What this shows Saluda Elementary School reports 142 students on the CCD universe file.

Source U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data (Public School Universe) As of 2024-25

How Saluda Elementary School compares

Saluda Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: 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 9.5:1 ▼ 40% 15.8:1 15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible 39.7% ▼ 40% 66.0% 51.7%
Enrollment 142 top 93% - -

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

9.5:1
Leaner classes than 91% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
142
Bigger than 14% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.

Equity indicators methodology

Economic need
39.7%
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
9.5:1
students per teacher - 40% below state mean
Top 5% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 95% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
16.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,041
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.

Student demographics

White 88.0%
Hispanic or Latino 7.0%
Two or More 2.8%
African American 1.4%
Asian 0.7%

Largest group: White at 88.0% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 22.0/100

Simpson diversity index - at 22.0, Saluda Elementary School is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.

Programs

Gifted & talented Yes

District finance for Polk County Schools reports $15,041 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

How Saluda Elementary School Compares to District-Mates

School Enrollment Economic Profile Student-Teacher Ratio
Polk County High School Larger Similar economic need Higher S:T ratio
Polk County Middle School Larger Higher economic need Higher S:T ratio
Polk Central Elementary School Larger Higher economic need Higher S:T ratio
Tryon Elementary School Larger Higher economic need Higher S:T ratio
Sunny View Elementary School Similar size Higher economic need Similar S:T ratio

Comparisons are relative to Saluda Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.

Other Schools in This District

Polk County Schools · 5 sibling schools

View district profile

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.

Frequently asked questions about Saluda Elementary School

How many students attend Saluda Elementary School?

Saluda Elementary School has 142 students enrolled. It is a public school in Saluda, NC. CCD year-over-year: 146 (2022-23) → 145 (2023-24), nearly flat (-1).

What is the student-teacher ratio at Saluda Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Saluda Elementary School is 9.5:1, which is 40% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 39% 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 Saluda Elementary School?

39.7% of students at Saluda Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Saluda Elementary School?

The largest demographic group at Saluda Elementary School is White at 88.0% of enrollment, in Saluda, NC.

What is the Resource Investment Index for Saluda Elementary School?

Saluda Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).

What other schools are in Polk County Schools?

Besides Saluda Elementary School, Polk County Schools also operates Polk County High School (596 students), Polk County Middle School (454 students), and Polk Central Elementary School (379 students). See the Polk County Schools district page for the complete list.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2022-23) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.