Enrollment
466
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mooresville, NC
South Elementary
Federal NCES profile for South Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370312001336
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 7
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Elementary earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 89% of North Carolina schools.
- #8 of 9
- schools in Mooresville · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 11.7:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 56.8%
- free-lunch eligible
South Elementary has class sizes smaller than 89% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Elementary ranks #8 of 9 schools in Mooresville, NC.
School address
District: Mooresville Graded School District · North Carolina
NCES ID 370312001336 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Elementary
South Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Mooresville, North Carolina, enrolling 466 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.7:1, South Elementary is leaner than roughly 89% of North Carolina schools and 26% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 56.8% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 466 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 487 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #467, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and African American (24%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 466 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Mooresville's public schools, it stands alongside Pine Lake Preparatory (1,888 students): South Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.7:1 vs 16.9:1).
Mooresville Graded School District also operates Mooresville High School (1,923 students) and Mooresville Middle (696 students) alongside South 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 South Elementary compares
South 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 | 11.7:1 | ▼ 26% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.8% | ▼ 14% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 466 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.7:1
Leaner classes than 78% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
466
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
11.7:1
students per teacher
- 26% below state mean
Top 11% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 89% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
32.2%
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
$11,157
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 466 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
32
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.4 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 45.3%
African American 23.6%
Hispanic or Latino 18.7%
Two or More 10.1%
Asian 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 45.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.4, South Elementary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mooresville Graded School District, which includes South Elementary.
$11,157
Per student
-7%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.2%
State 49.3%
Federal 15.4%
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 Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mooresville High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mooresville Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mooresville Intermediate | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Mooresville Intermediate | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rocky River Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,923
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 696
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 690
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 612
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 460
- Students per teacher
- 10.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Mooresville
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Pine Lake Preparatory
Standard public school
1,888 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Langtree Charter Academy
Standard public school
1,376 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Coddle Creek Elementary
Standard public school
808 students 18:1 students per teacher
Shepherd Elementary
Standard public school
738 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Lakeshore Elementary
Standard public school
658 students 14:1 students per teacher
Lake Norman Elementary
Standard public school
641 students 15.3:1 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 (~466 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Elementary's federal record.
- Compare South Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Mooresville Graded School District'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 Elementary
How many students attend South Elementary?
South Elementary has 466 students enrolled. It is a public school in Mooresville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at South Elementary is 11.7:1, which is 26% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 25% 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 South Elementary?
56.8% of students at South Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Elementary?
The largest demographic group at South Elementary is White at 45.3% of enrollment, in Mooresville, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Elementary?
South Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 South Elementary rank among schools in Mooresville?
By Resource Investment Index, South Elementary ranks #8 of 9 schools in Mooresville, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Mooresville on the city page.
Is South Elementary a good school?
South Elementary earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 89% 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 Mooresville Graded School District?
Besides South Elementary, Mooresville Graded School District also operates Mooresville High School (1,923 students), Mooresville Middle (696 students), and Mooresville Intermediate (690 students). See the Mooresville Graded School District 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.