Enrollment
763
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Chapel Hill, NC
Smith Middle
Federal NCES profile for Smith Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370072002600
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 69
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Smith Middle earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 5
- middle schools in Chapel Hill · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.9:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 23.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Smith Middle has class sizes smaller than 79% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Smith Middle ranks #2 of 5 middle schools in Chapel Hill, NC.
School address
District: Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370072002600 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
59.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Smith Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Smith Middle
Smith Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, enrolling 763 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 23.2% free-meal eligibility runs 65% below the North Carolina average.
Enrollment of 763 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 95% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 282 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #4, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and Asian (22%) (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 254 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
12.6% 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 middle schools, it stands alongside Margaret B. Pollard Middle (736 students): Smith Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.9:1 vs 18.4:1).
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools also operates Chapel Hill High (1,608 students) and East Chapel Hill High (1,419 students) alongside Smith 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 Smith Middle compares
Smith 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 | 12.9:1 | ▼ 18% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.2% | ▼ 65% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 763 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
763
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% 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
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 21% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 79% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
12.6%
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 254 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
37
in-school suspensions + 22 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.7 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 42.2%
Asian 22.3%
African American 13.6%
Hispanic or Latino 12.8%
Two or More 9.0%
Largest group: White at 42.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.9, Smith 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 Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, which includes Smith Middle.
$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 Smith Middle 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 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mcdougle Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Culbreth Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Smith Middle'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
- 659
- Students per teacher
- 10.5:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 632
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
Similar middle schools in Chapel Hill
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Margaret B. Pollard Middle
Standard public school
736 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Mcdougle Middle
Standard public school
659 students 10.5:1 students per teacher
Culbreth Middle
Standard public school
632 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Phillips Middle
Standard public school
600 students 10.7:1 students per teacher
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 (~763 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Smith Middle's federal record.
- Compare Smith Middle 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 Smith Middle
How many students attend Smith Middle?
Smith Middle has 763 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Chapel Hill, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Smith Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Smith Middle is 12.9:1, which is 18% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 18% 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 Smith Middle?
23.2% of students at Smith Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Smith Middle?
The largest demographic group at Smith Middle is White at 42.2% of enrollment, in Chapel Hill, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Smith Middle?
Smith Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (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 Smith Middle rank among middle schools in Chapel Hill?
By Resource Investment Index, Smith Middle ranks #2 of 5 middle 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 middle schools in Chapel Hill on the city page.
Is Smith Middle a good school?
Smith Middle earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% 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 Smith Middle, 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.