Enrollment
416
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chapel Hill, NC
Seawell Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Seawell Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370072000296
👥 S:T ratio 56
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 63
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Seawell Elementary earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% of North Carolina schools.
- #5 of 12
- schools in Chapel Hill · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.9:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 27.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Seawell Elementary has class sizes smaller than 92% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Seawell Elementary ranks #5 of 12 schools in Chapel Hill, NC.
School address
District: Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370072000296 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-58% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Seawell Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Seawell Elementary
Seawell Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, enrolling 416 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.9:1, Seawell Elementary is leaner than roughly 92% of North Carolina schools and 31% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 27.5% free-meal eligibility runs 58% below the North Carolina average.
With 416 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 176 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #56.
Its student body is led by White (34%) and Asian (33%) (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 416 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools spends $16,534 per pupil, 38% above the North Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Chapel Hill's public schools, it stands alongside North Chatham Elementary (588 students): Seawell Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.9:1 vs 15.1:1).
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools also operates Chapel Hill High (1,608 students) and East Chapel Hill High (1,419 students) alongside Seawell 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 Seawell Elementary compares
Seawell 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 | 10.9:1 | ▼ 31% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.5% | ▼ 58% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 416 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.9:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
416
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
27.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
10.9:1
students per teacher
- 31% below state mean
Top 8% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 92% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
14.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$16,534
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 416 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 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 34.1%
Asian 32.7%
African American 13.2%
Hispanic or Latino 10.6%
Two or More 9.4%
Largest group: White at 34.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.9, Seawell 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 Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, which includes Seawell Elementary.
$16,534
Per student
+38%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.2%
State 43.3%
Federal 10.5%
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 Seawell Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapel Hill High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Chapel Hill High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carrboro High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Smith Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mcdougle Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Seawell Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,608
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,419
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 885
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 763
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 659
- Students per teacher
- 10.5:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
Similar other schools in Chapel Hill
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
North Chatham Elementary
Standard public school
588 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Fpg Elementary
Standard public school
536 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
New Hope Elementary
Standard public school
528 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Woods Charter
Standard public school
515 students 9.5:1 students per teacher
Mcdougle Elementary
Standard public school
497 students 12.7:1 students per teacher
Rashkis Elementary
Standard public school
455 students 12.3:1 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 (~416 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Seawell Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Seawell Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Chapel Hill-Carrboro 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 Seawell Elementary
How many students attend Seawell Elementary?
Seawell Elementary has 416 students enrolled. It is a public school in Chapel Hill, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Seawell Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Seawell Elementary is 10.9:1, which is 31% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 31% 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 Seawell Elementary?
27.5% of students at Seawell Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Seawell Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Seawell Elementary is White at 34.1% of enrollment, in Chapel Hill, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Seawell Elementary?
Seawell Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Seawell Elementary rank among schools in Chapel Hill?
By Resource Investment Index, Seawell Elementary ranks #5 of 12 schools in Chapel Hill, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Chapel Hill on the city page.
Is Seawell Elementary a good school?
Seawell Elementary earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% 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 Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools?
Besides Seawell Elementary, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools also operates Chapel Hill High (1,608 students), East Chapel Hill High (1,419 students), and Carrboro High (885 students). See the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district page for the complete list.
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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.