Enrollment
442
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Norwood, NC
South Stanly High
Federal NCES profile for South Stanly High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370432001718
👥 S:T ratio 37
📚 AP courses 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 56
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Stanly High earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #3 of 5
- public schools in Norwood · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- students per teacher
- 44.6%
- free-lunch eligible
South Stanly High has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Stanly High ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Norwood, NC.
School address
District: Stanly County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370432001718 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Stanly High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Stanly High
South Stanly High is a mid-sized high school in Norwood, North Carolina, enrolling 442 students.
At 15.8:1, 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 below the state's typical profile, with 44.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 442 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 373 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #200.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and African American (13%) (diversity index 49/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 1 Advanced Placement course.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 221 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 46.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 136 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 442 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Stanly County Schools also operates West Stanly High (800 students) and West Stanly Middle School (662 students) alongside South Stanly 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 Stanly High compares
South Stanly 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 | 15.8:1 | ▼ 0% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.6% | ▼ 32% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 442 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
442
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 60% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
46.4%
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
$11,496
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 221 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
65
in-school suspensions + 71 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 30.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 69.2%
African American 13.3%
Hispanic or Latino 7.9%
Two or More 5.7%
Asian 3.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: White at 69.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.3, South Stanly High is less 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 Stanly County Schools, which includes South Stanly High.
$11,496
Per student
-4%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.7%
State 60.2%
Federal 21.1%
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 Stanly High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Stanly High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Stanly Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Stanly High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Locust Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Stanly High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 800
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 662
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 568
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 563
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 525
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
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 (~442 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Stanly High's federal record.
- Compare South Stanly High against another school. Compare schools
- Stanly County 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 Stanly High
How many students attend South Stanly High?
South Stanly High has 442 students enrolled. It is a high school in Norwood, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Stanly High?
The student-teacher ratio at South Stanly High is 15.8:1, which is 0% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Stanly High?
44.6% of students at South Stanly High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Stanly High?
The largest demographic group at South Stanly High is White at 69.2% of enrollment, in Norwood, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Stanly High?
South Stanly High has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Stanly High rank among public schools in Norwood?
By Resource Investment Index, South Stanly High ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Norwood, 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 Norwood on the city page.
Is South Stanly High a good school?
South Stanly High earns 34/100 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 Stanly County Schools?
Besides South Stanly High, Stanly County Schools also operates West Stanly High (800 students), West Stanly Middle School (662 students), and North Stanly High (568 students). See the Stanly County 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.