Enrollment
26
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lexington, NC
South Lexington Developmental Center
Federal NCES profile for South Lexington Developmental Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370264002725
👥 S:T ratio 65
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 95
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Lexington Developmental Center earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in North Carolina.
- #2 of 13
- schools in Lexington · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 8.7:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 90.6%
- free-lunch eligible
South Lexington Developmental Center has class sizes smaller than 96% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Lexington Developmental Center ranks #2 of 13 schools in Lexington, NC.
School address
District: Lexington City Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370264002725 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
3.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-45% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
90.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Lexington Developmental Center compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Lexington Developmental Center
South Lexington Developmental Center is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Lexington, North Carolina, enrolling 26 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.7:1, South Lexington Developmental Center is leaner than roughly 96% of North Carolina schools and 45% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 90.6% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 99% of North Carolina schools, with 26 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 26 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 88.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 25.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Lexington's public schools, it stands alongside Welcome Elementary (638 students): South Lexington Developmental Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.7:1 vs 16.8:1).
Lexington City Schools also operates Lexington Senior High School (889 students) and Lexington Middle School (595 students) alongside South Lexington Developmental Center.
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 Lexington Developmental Center compares
South Lexington Developmental Center 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 | 8.7:1 | ▼ 45% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 90.6% | ▲ 37% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 26 | top 99% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.7:1
Leaner classes than 93% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
26
Bigger than 3% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
90.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% 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
8.7:1
students per teacher
- 45% below state mean
Top 4% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 96% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
88.5%
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
$13,565
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 26 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 61.5%
Hispanic or Latino 19.2%
African American 15.4%
Asian 3.8%
Largest group: White at 61.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.0, South Lexington Developmental Center is about as mixed as the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lexington City Schools, which includes South Lexington Developmental Center.
$13,565
Per student
+13%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.5%
State 53.7%
Federal 25.8%
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 Lexington Developmental Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lexington Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pickett Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Charles England Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southwest Elementary Global Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Lexington Developmental Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 889
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 595
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 385
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 381
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 369
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar other schools in Lexington
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Welcome Elementary
Standard public school
638 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Northwest Elementary
Standard public school
625 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Southwood Elementary
Standard public school
616 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Midway Elementary
Standard public school
546 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Churchland Elementary
Standard public school
441 students 17:1 students per teacher
Davis-Townsend Elementary
Standard public school
430 students 15.4:1 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 (~26 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~8.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Lexington Developmental Center's federal record.
- Compare South Lexington Developmental Center against another school. Compare schools
- Lexington City 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 Lexington Developmental Center
How many students attend South Lexington Developmental Center?
South Lexington Developmental Center has 26 students enrolled. It is a special-education school in Lexington, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Lexington Developmental Center?
The student-teacher ratio at South Lexington Developmental Center is 8.7:1, which is 45% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 45% 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 Lexington Developmental Center?
90.6% of students at South Lexington Developmental Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Lexington Developmental Center?
The largest demographic group at South Lexington Developmental Center is White at 61.5% of enrollment, in Lexington, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Lexington Developmental Center?
South Lexington Developmental Center has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 South Lexington Developmental Center rank among schools in Lexington?
By Resource Investment Index, South Lexington Developmental Center ranks #2 of 13 schools in Lexington, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lexington on the city page.
Is South Lexington Developmental Center a good school?
South Lexington Developmental Center earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest 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 Lexington City Schools?
Besides South Lexington Developmental Center, Lexington City Schools also operates Lexington Senior High School (889 students), Lexington Middle School (595 students), and Pickett Elementary School (385 students). See the Lexington City 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.