Enrollment
308
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lexington, NC
South Lexington School
Federal NCES profile for South Lexington School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370264001105
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 38
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Lexington School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #13 of 13
- schools in Lexington · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 99.0%
- free-lunch eligible
South Lexington School has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Lexington School ranks #13 of 13 schools in Lexington, NC.
School address
District: Lexington City Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370264001105 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.0%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Lexington School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Lexington School
South Lexington School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Lexington, North Carolina, enrolling 308 students.
At 15.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 99.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 308 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
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 353 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #338, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and African American (30%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 308 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.0% 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 School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.4:1 vs 16.8:1).
Lexington City Schools also operates Lexington Senior High School (889 students) and Lexington Middle School (595 students) alongside South Lexington School.
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 School compares
South Lexington School 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 | 15.4:1 | ▼ 3% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.0% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 308 | top 76% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
308
Bigger than 33% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 55% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
49.0%
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 308 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
Hispanic or Latino 44.2%
African American 29.9%
White 14.0%
Two or More 9.7%
Asian 2.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.6, South Lexington School is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lexington City Schools, which includes South Lexington School.
$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 School 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pickett Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Charles England Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southwest Elementary Global Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Lexington School'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 (~308 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Lexington School's federal record.
- Compare South Lexington School 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 School
How many students attend South Lexington School?
South Lexington School has 308 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lexington, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Lexington School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Lexington School is 15.4:1, which is 3% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 2% 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 School?
99.0% of students at South Lexington School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Lexington School?
The largest demographic group at South Lexington School is Hispanic or Latino at 44.2% of enrollment, in Lexington, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Lexington School?
South Lexington School 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 Lexington School rank among schools in Lexington?
By Resource Investment Index, South Lexington School ranks #13 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 School a good school?
South Lexington School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. 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 School, 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.