Enrollment
932
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · China Grove, NC
South Rowan High
Federal NCES profile for South Rowan High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370405001629
👥 S:T ratio 27
📚 AP courses 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 38
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Rowan High earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 6
- public schools in China Grove · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.3:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 52.2%
- free-lunch eligible
South Rowan High has class sizes larger than 83% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Rowan High ranks #3 of 6 public schools in China Grove, NC.
School address
District: Rowan-Salisbury Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370405001629 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Rowan High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Rowan High
South Rowan High is a higher-need, large high school in China Grove, North Carolina, enrolling 932 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.3:1 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 52.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 932 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 346 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #234.
Its student body is led by White (59%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 58/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 12 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 311 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 281 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 932 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among China Grove's high schools, it stands alongside Carson High (1,063 students): South Rowan High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.3:1 vs 17.7:1).
Rowan-Salisbury Schools also operates Carson High (1,063 students) and West Rowan High (988 students) alongside South Rowan 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 Rowan High compares
South Rowan 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 | 18.3:1 | ▲ 16% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.2% | ▼ 21% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 932 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.3:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
932
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
18.3:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 83% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
48.3%
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
$11,832
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 311 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
174
in-school suspensions + 107 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 30.2 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 59.2%
Hispanic or Latino 24.7%
African American 9.1%
Two or More 5.4%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 59.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.7, South Rowan High is about as mixed as the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 12
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rowan-Salisbury Schools, which includes South Rowan High.
$11,832
Per student
-2%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.6%
State 60.4%
Federal 21.0%
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 Rowan High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Rowan High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Rowan High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Salisbury High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Erwin Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Rowan High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,063
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 988
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 986
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 930
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 763
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar high schools in China Grove
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 (~932 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Rowan High's federal record.
- Compare South Rowan High against another school. Compare schools
- Rowan-Salisbury 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 Rowan High
How many students attend South Rowan High?
South Rowan High has 932 students enrolled. It is a high school in China Grove, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Rowan High?
The student-teacher ratio at South Rowan High is 18.3:1, which is 16% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Rowan High?
52.2% of students at South Rowan High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Rowan High?
The largest demographic group at South Rowan High is White at 59.2% of enrollment, in China Grove, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Rowan High?
South Rowan High has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Rowan High rank among public schools in China Grove?
By Resource Investment Index, South Rowan High ranks #3 of 6 public schools in China Grove, 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 China Grove on the city page.
Is South Rowan High a good school?
South Rowan High earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of North Carolina schools. 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 Rowan-Salisbury Schools?
Besides South Rowan High, Rowan-Salisbury Schools also operates Carson High (1,063 students), West Rowan High (988 students), and East Rowan High (986 students). See the Rowan-Salisbury 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.