Enrollment
1,835
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Garner, NC
South Garner High
Federal NCES profile for South Garner High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370472003472
👥 S:T ratio 30
📚 AP courses 65
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Garner High earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #14 of 14
- public schools in Garner · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.6:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 58.4%
- free-lunch eligible
South Garner High has class sizes larger than 77% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Garner High ranks #14 of 14 public schools in Garner, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472003472 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
104.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Garner High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Garner High
South Garner High is a higher-need, large high school in Garner, North Carolina, enrolling 1,835 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.6:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 58.4% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,835 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 57 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #51, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (48%) and Hispanic or Latino (34%) (diversity index 64/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 13 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 367 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 700 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,835 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 18 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Garner's high schools, it stands alongside Garner High (1,670 students): South Garner High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.6:1 vs 15.8:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside South Garner High.
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 Garner High compares
South Garner High 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 | 17.6:1 | ▲ 11% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.4% | ▼ 12% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,835 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,835
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 77% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
43.4%
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
$11,859
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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 367 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
466
in-school suspensions + 234 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 25.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 38.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 18 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
African American 47.5%
Hispanic or Latino 33.8%
White 12.5%
Asian 2.9%
Two or More 2.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 47.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.3, South Garner High is more 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 Wake County Schools, which includes South Garner High.
$11,859
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 54.5%
Federal 16.6%
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 Garner High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Friendship High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enloe High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Panther Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millbrook High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Garner High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,748
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,643
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,609
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,498
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,449
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar high schools in Garner
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 (~1,835 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Garner High's federal record.
- Compare South Garner High against another school. Compare schools
- Wake 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 Garner High
How many students attend South Garner High?
South Garner High has 1,835 students enrolled. It is a high school in Garner, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Garner High?
The student-teacher ratio at South Garner High is 17.6:1, which is 11% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 12% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Garner High?
58.4% of students at South Garner High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Garner High?
The largest demographic group at South Garner High is African American at 47.5% of enrollment, in Garner, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Garner High?
South Garner High has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Garner High rank among public schools in Garner?
By Resource Investment Index, South Garner High ranks #14 of 14 public schools in Garner, 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 Garner on the city page.
Is South Garner High a good school?
South Garner High earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% 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 Wake County Schools?
Besides South Garner High, Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students), Enloe High (2,643 students), and Panther Creek High (2,609 students). See the Wake 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.