Enrollment
1,738
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Winterville, NC
South Central
Federal NCES profile for South Central, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370001202616
👥 S:T ratio 24
📚 AP courses 65
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Central earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #6 of 7
- public schools in Winterville · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.1:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 52.5%
- free-lunch eligible
South Central has class sizes larger than 87% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Central ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Winterville, NC.
School address
District: Pitt County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370001202616 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
91.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Central compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Central
South Central is a higher-need, large high school in Winterville, North Carolina, enrolling 1,738 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.1:1 is larger than about 87% of North Carolina schools and 21% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 52.5% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,738 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 96 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #18.
Its student body is led by African American (65%) and White (20%) (diversity index 53/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 13 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 290 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Winterville's high schools, it stands alongside Pcs Early College High School (334 students): South Central is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.1:1 vs 23.9:1).
Pitt County Schools also operates D H Conley High (1,757 students) and Junius H Rose High (1,568 students) alongside South Central.
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 South Central compares
South Central 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 | 19.1:1 | ▲ 21% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.5% | ▼ 20% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,738 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.1:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,738
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% below 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
19.1:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 87% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
32.3%
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
$11,733
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 290 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
16
in-school suspensions + 317 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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
African American 64.9%
White 19.9%
Hispanic or Latino 7.0%
Two or More 6.7%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 64.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.0, South Central is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 13
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pitt County Schools, which includes South Central.
$11,733
Per student
-2%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.2%
State 58.7%
Federal 21.1%
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 South Central Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| D H Conley High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Junius H Rose High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hope Middle | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chicod | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Pitt High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Central's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,757
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,568
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 952
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 902
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 854
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar high schools in Winterville
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~1,738 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Central's federal record.
- Compare South Central against another school. Compare schools
- Pitt 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 South Central
How many students attend South Central?
South Central has 1,738 students enrolled. It is a high school in Winterville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Central?
The student-teacher ratio at South Central is 19.1:1, which is 21% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Central?
52.5% of students at South Central are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Central?
The largest demographic group at South Central is African American at 64.9% of enrollment, in Winterville, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Central?
South Central has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Central rank among public schools in Winterville?
By Resource Investment Index, South Central ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Winterville, 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 Winterville on the city page.
Is South Central a good school?
South Central earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina. 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 Pitt County Schools?
Besides South Central, Pitt County Schools also operates D H Conley High (1,757 students), Junius H Rose High (1,568 students), and Hope Middle (952 students). See the Pitt 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.