Enrollment
590
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Asheville, NC
Sand Hill-Venable Elem
Federal NCES profile for Sand Hill-Venable Elem, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370045000626
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sand Hill-Venable Elem earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #9 of 13
- schools in Asheville · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 69.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Sand Hill-Venable Elem has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sand Hill-Venable Elem ranks #9 of 13 schools in Asheville, NC.
School address
District: Buncombe County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370045000626 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.9%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sand Hill-Venable Elem compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sand Hill-Venable Elem
Sand Hill-Venable Elem is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Asheville, North Carolina, enrolling 590 students.
At 14.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 69.9% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 590 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 341 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #69.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 393 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 21.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Asheville's public schools, it stands alongside Ic Imagine (1,239 students): Sand Hill-Venable Elem is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.8:1 vs 13:1).
Buncombe County Schools also operates Roberson High (1,479 students) and Reynolds High (1,169 students) alongside Sand Hill-Venable Elem.
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 Sand Hill-Venable Elem compares
Sand Hill-Venable Elem 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 | 14.8:1 | ▼ 6% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.9% | ▲ 6% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 590 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
590
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% 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
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 46% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
21.4%
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
$13,190
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 393 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 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 52.7%
Hispanic or Latino 36.1%
African American 7.3%
Two or More 2.9%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 52.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.6, Sand Hill-Venable Elem is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Buncombe County Schools, which includes Sand Hill-Venable Elem.
$13,190
Per student
+10%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.2%
State 49.5%
Federal 21.3%
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 Sand Hill-Venable Elem Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roberson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Reynolds High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enka High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Erwin High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Buncombe High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sand Hill-Venable Elem's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,479
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,169
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,051
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,013
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 896
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Asheville
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Ic Imagine
Standard public school
1,239 students 13:1 students per teacher
Estes Elementary
Standard public school
754 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
The Franklin School of Innovation
Standard public school
717 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Oakley Elementary
Standard public school
502 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Haw Creek Elementary
Standard public school
402 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Isaac Dickson Elementary
Standard public school
390 students 13.9:1 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 (~590 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sand Hill-Venable Elem's federal record.
- Compare Sand Hill-Venable Elem against another school. Compare schools
- Buncombe 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 Sand Hill-Venable Elem
How many students attend Sand Hill-Venable Elem?
Sand Hill-Venable Elem has 590 students enrolled. It is a public school in Asheville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sand Hill-Venable Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Sand Hill-Venable Elem is 14.8:1, which is 6% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 6% 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 Sand Hill-Venable Elem?
69.9% of students at Sand Hill-Venable Elem are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sand Hill-Venable Elem?
The largest demographic group at Sand Hill-Venable Elem is White at 52.7% of enrollment, in Asheville, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sand Hill-Venable Elem?
Sand Hill-Venable Elem has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Sand Hill-Venable Elem rank among schools in Asheville?
By Resource Investment Index, Sand Hill-Venable Elem ranks #9 of 13 schools in Asheville, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Asheville on the city page.
Is Sand Hill-Venable Elem a good school?
Sand Hill-Venable Elem earns 45/100 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 Buncombe County Schools?
Besides Sand Hill-Venable Elem, Buncombe County Schools also operates Roberson High (1,479 students), Reynolds High (1,169 students), and Enka High (1,051 students). See the Buncombe 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.