Enrollment
506
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Mebane, NC
South Mebane Elementary
Federal NCES profile for South Mebane Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370003000015
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Mebane Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #6 of 7
- public schools in Mebane · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.7:1
- students per teacher
- 44.3%
- free-lunch eligible
South Mebane Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Mebane Elementary ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Mebane, NC.
School address
District: Alamance-Burlington Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370003000015 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-33% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Mebane Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Mebane Elementary
South Mebane Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Mebane, North Carolina, enrolling 506 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 44.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 506 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 425 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #357, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (34%) and White (33%) (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 506 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Alamance-Burlington Schools also operates Walter M Williams High (1,206 students) and Southern Alamance High (1,148 students) alongside South Mebane 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 Mebane Elementary compares
South Mebane 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 | 13.7:1 | ▼ 13% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.3% | ▼ 33% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 506 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.7:1
Leaner classes than 60% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
506
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 33% 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
13.7:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 31% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 69% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
33.0%
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
$12,211
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 506 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
30
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.3 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
African American 33.6%
White 33.2%
Hispanic or Latino 16.0%
Two or More 13.6%
Asian 3.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 33.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.2, South Mebane Elementary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alamance-Burlington Schools, which includes South Mebane Elementary.
$12,211
Per student
+2%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.4%
State 58.2%
Federal 23.4%
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 Mebane Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walter M Williams High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southern Alamance High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Western Alamance High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eastern Alamance High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hawfields Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Mebane Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,206
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,148
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,138
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 952
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 864
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar elementary 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 (~506 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Mebane Elementary's federal record.
- Compare South Mebane Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Alamance-Burlington 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 Mebane Elementary
How many students attend South Mebane Elementary?
South Mebane Elementary has 506 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Mebane, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Mebane Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at South Mebane Elementary is 13.7:1, which is 13% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 13% 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 Mebane Elementary?
44.3% of students at South Mebane Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Mebane Elementary?
The largest demographic group at South Mebane Elementary is African American at 33.6% of enrollment, in Mebane, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Mebane Elementary?
South Mebane Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Mebane Elementary rank among public schools in Mebane?
By Resource Investment Index, South Mebane Elementary ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Mebane, 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 Mebane on the city page.
Is South Mebane Elementary a good school?
South Mebane Elementary earns 33/100 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 Alamance-Burlington Schools?
Besides South Mebane Elementary, Alamance-Burlington Schools also operates Walter M Williams High (1,206 students), Southern Alamance High (1,148 students), and Western Alamance High (1,138 students). See the Alamance-Burlington 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.