Enrollment
573
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Smithfield, NC
Smithfield Middle
Federal NCES profile for Smithfield Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370237001027
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Smithfield Middle earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of North Carolina schools.
- #6 of 10
- public schools in Smithfield · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.3:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 96.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Smithfield Middle has class sizes smaller than 75% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Smithfield Middle ranks #6 of 10 public schools in Smithfield, NC.
School address
District: Johnston County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370237001027 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
96.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Smithfield Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Smithfield Middle
Smithfield Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Smithfield, North Carolina, enrolling 573 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 96.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 573 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 568 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #161.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (55%) and African American (31%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 287 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 17.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 351 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 573 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Smithfield's middle schools, it stands alongside The Innovation Academy at South Campus (263 students): Smithfield Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.3:1 vs 13.8:1).
Johnston County Public Schools also operates Corinth Holders High (2,187 students) and Clayton High (1,929 students) alongside Smithfield 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 Smithfield Middle compares
Smithfield 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 | 13.3:1 | ▼ 16% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 96.2% | ▲ 46% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 573 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
573
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
96.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% 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
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 25% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
42.6%
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
$10,788
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 287 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
198
in-school suspensions + 153 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 34.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 61.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 expulsions.
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 55.1%
African American 30.7%
White 9.1%
Two or More 4.4%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 55.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.2, Smithfield 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 Johnston County Public Schools, which includes Smithfield Middle.
$10,788
Per student
-10%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.7%
State 62.2%
Federal 17.1%
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 Smithfield Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corinth Holders High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clayton High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cleveland High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Johnston High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Smithfield-Selma High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Smithfield Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,187
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,929
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,889
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,563
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,548
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar middle schools in Smithfield
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 (~573 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Smithfield Middle's federal record.
- Compare Smithfield Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Johnston County Public 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 Smithfield Middle
How many students attend Smithfield Middle?
Smithfield Middle has 573 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Smithfield, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Smithfield Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Smithfield Middle is 13.3:1, which is 16% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 15% 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 Smithfield Middle?
96.2% of students at Smithfield Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Smithfield Middle?
The largest demographic group at Smithfield Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 55.1% of enrollment, in Smithfield, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Smithfield Middle?
Smithfield Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Smithfield Middle rank among public schools in Smithfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Smithfield Middle ranks #6 of 10 public schools in Smithfield, 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 Smithfield on the city page.
Is Smithfield Middle a good school?
Smithfield Middle earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% 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 Johnston County Public Schools?
Besides Smithfield Middle, Johnston County Public Schools also operates Corinth Holders High (2,187 students), Clayton High (1,929 students), and Cleveland High (1,889 students). See the Johnston County Public 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.