Enrollment
1,355
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Four Oaks, NC
South Johnston High
Federal NCES profile for South Johnston High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370237001029
👥 S:T ratio 29
📚 AP courses 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Johnston High earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Four Oaks · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.8:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 53.3%
- free-lunch eligible
South Johnston High has class sizes larger than 80% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Johnston High ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Four Oaks, NC.
School address
District: Johnston County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370237001029 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
76.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Johnston High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Johnston High
South Johnston High is a higher-need, large high school in Four Oaks, North Carolina, enrolling 1,355 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.8:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 53.3% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,355 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 156 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #47.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%) (diversity index 63/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 1 Advanced Placement course.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 339 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.4% 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: 307 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,355 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 16 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Johnston County Public Schools also operates Corinth Holders High (2,187 students) and Clayton High (1,929 students) alongside South Johnston 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 Johnston High compares
South Johnston 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 | 17.8:1 | ▲ 13% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.3% | ▼ 19% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,355 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.8:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,355
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
17.8:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 80% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
31.4%
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
$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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 339 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
152
in-school suspensions + 155 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 22.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 16 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
White 47.4%
Hispanic or Latino 35.8%
African American 12.3%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 47.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.1, South Johnston High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Johnston County Public Schools, which includes South Johnston High.
$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 South Johnston High 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cleveland High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Johnston High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Smithfield-Selma High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Johnston High'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 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 (~1,355 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Johnston High's federal record.
- Compare South Johnston High 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 South Johnston High
How many students attend South Johnston High?
South Johnston High has 1,355 students enrolled. It is a high school in Four Oaks, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Johnston High?
The student-teacher ratio at South Johnston High is 17.8:1, which is 13% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Johnston High?
53.3% of students at South Johnston High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Johnston High?
The largest demographic group at South Johnston High is White at 47.4% of enrollment, in Four Oaks, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Johnston High?
South Johnston High has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Johnston High rank among public schools in Four Oaks?
By Resource Investment Index, South Johnston High ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Four Oaks, 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 Four Oaks on the city page.
Is South Johnston High a good school?
South Johnston High earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% 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 Johnston County Public Schools?
Besides South Johnston High, 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.