Enrollment
703
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Clinton, NC
Sampson Middle
Federal NCES profile for Sampson Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370093000356
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 44
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sampson Middle earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 9
- public schools in Clinton · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.6:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 99.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Sampson Middle has class sizes larger than 77% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sampson Middle ranks #3 of 9 public schools in Clinton, NC.
School address
District: Clinton City Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370093000356 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sampson Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sampson Middle
Sampson Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Clinton, North Carolina, enrolling 703 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.6:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 99.5% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 703 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 447 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #62.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (43%) and African American (33%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 361 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 22.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 402 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 703 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Clinton's middle schools, it stands alongside Union Middle (374 students): Sampson Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.6:1 vs 15.6:1).
Clinton City Schools also operates Clinton High (828 students) and Sunset Avenue Elementary (649 students) alongside Sampson Middle.
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 Sampson Middle compares
Sampson Middle 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 | 17.6:1 | ▲ 11% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.5% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 703 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
703
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 77% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
22.5%
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
$11,956
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
Counselors1.9 FTE
Per 361 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
243
in-school suspensions + 159 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 34.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 57.2 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
Hispanic or Latino 42.5%
African American 32.9%
White 17.4%
Two or More 3.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.8%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 42.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.9, Sampson Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Clinton City Schools, which includes Sampson Middle.
$11,956
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.2%
State 58.4%
Federal 22.4%
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 Sampson Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sunset Avenue Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Butler Avenue Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Langdon C Kerr Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sampson Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 828
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 649
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 469
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 366
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar middle schools in Clinton
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~703 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sampson Middle's federal record.
- Compare Sampson Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Clinton City 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 Sampson Middle
How many students attend Sampson Middle?
Sampson Middle has 703 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Clinton, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sampson Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Sampson Middle is 17.6:1, which is 11% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 12% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sampson Middle?
99.5% of students at Sampson Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sampson Middle?
The largest demographic group at Sampson Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 42.5% of enrollment, in Clinton, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sampson Middle?
Sampson Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Sampson Middle rank among public schools in Clinton?
By Resource Investment Index, Sampson Middle ranks #3 of 9 public schools in Clinton, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Clinton on the city page.
Is Sampson Middle a good school?
Sampson Middle earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of North Carolina schools. 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 Clinton City Schools?
Besides Sampson Middle, Clinton City Schools also operates Clinton High (828 students), Sunset Avenue Elementary (649 students), and Butler Avenue Elementary (469 students). See the Clinton City 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.