Enrollment
402
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Norwood, NC
South Stanly Middle
Federal NCES profile for South Stanly Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370432002547
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Stanly Middle earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of North Carolina schools.
- #5 of 5
- public schools in Norwood · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.5:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 51.3%
- free-lunch eligible
South Stanly Middle has class sizes larger than 77% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Stanly Middle ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Norwood, NC.
School address
District: Stanly County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370432002547 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
51.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Stanly Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Stanly Middle
South Stanly Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Norwood, North Carolina, enrolling 402 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.5:1 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 51.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 402 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 393 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #363, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and African American (15%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 402 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.0% 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: 121 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 402 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Stanly County Schools also operates West Stanly High (800 students) and West Stanly Middle School (662 students) alongside South Stanly Middle.
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 Middle compares
South Stanly Middle 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 | 17.5:1 | ▲ 11% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.3% | ▼ 22% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 402 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
402
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
51.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% 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
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 77% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
43.0%
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
$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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 402 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
67
in-school suspensions + 54 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 30.1 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 64.7%
African American 15.2%
Hispanic or Latino 10.4%
Two or More 5.2%
Asian 4.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 64.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.3, South Stanly Middle is about as mixed as the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Stanly County Schools, which includes South Stanly Middle.
$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 Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Stanly High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Stanly Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar 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 | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Stanly Middle'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 middle 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 (~402 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Stanly Middle's federal record.
- Compare South Stanly Middle 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 Middle
How many students attend South Stanly Middle?
South Stanly Middle has 402 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Norwood, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Stanly Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at South Stanly Middle is 17.5:1, which is 11% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Stanly Middle?
51.3% of students at South Stanly Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Stanly Middle?
The largest demographic group at South Stanly Middle is White at 64.7% of enrollment, in Norwood, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Stanly Middle?
South Stanly Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 Stanly Middle rank among public schools in Norwood?
By Resource Investment Index, South Stanly Middle ranks #5 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 Middle a good school?
South Stanly Middle earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% 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 Stanly County Schools?
Besides South Stanly Middle, 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.