Enrollment
326
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Kinston, NC
Southeast Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Southeast Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370261000596
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southeast Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 5
- schools in Kinston · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 97.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Southeast Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southeast Elementary ranks #2 of 5 schools in Kinston, NC.
School address
District: Lenoir County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370261000596 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
97.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southeast Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southeast Elementary
Southeast Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Kinston, North Carolina, enrolling 326 students.
At 14.8:1, 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 above the state's typical profile, with 97.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 326 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 398 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #223.
Its student body is predominantly African American (83% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 31/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 326 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 22.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Kinston's public schools, it stands alongside Contentnea-Savannah School (789 students): Southeast Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.8:1 vs 13.8:1).
Lenoir County Public Schools also operates North Lenoir High (957 students) and Contentnea-Savannah School (789 students) alongside Southeast 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 Southeast Elementary compares
Southeast 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 | 14.8:1 | ▼ 6% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 97.4% | ▲ 48% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 326 | top 75% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
326
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
97.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% 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
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 46% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
37.7%
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
$12,373
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 326 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 38 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.6 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 82.5%
White 7.4%
Hispanic or Latino 5.2%
Two or More 4.9%
Largest group: African American at 82.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.9, Southeast Elementary is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lenoir County Public Schools, which includes Southeast Elementary.
$12,373
Per student
+3%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 11.9%
State 65.3%
Federal 22.9%
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 Southeast Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Lenoir High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Contentnea-Savannah School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Lenoir High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kinston High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Woodington Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southeast Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 957
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 789
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 721
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 659
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 584
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other schools in Kinston
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Contentnea-Savannah School
Standard public school
789 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Northeast Elementary
Standard public school
465 students 15:1 students per teacher
Banks Elementary
Standard public school
436 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Lenoir County Learning Academy
Alternative education program
66 students 7.3:1 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 (~326 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southeast Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Southeast Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Lenoir County Public 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 Southeast Elementary
How many students attend Southeast Elementary?
Southeast Elementary has 326 students enrolled. It is a public school in Kinston, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southeast Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Southeast Elementary is 14.8:1, which is 6% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 6% 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 Southeast Elementary?
97.4% of students at Southeast Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southeast Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Southeast Elementary is African American at 82.5% of enrollment, in Kinston, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southeast Elementary?
Southeast Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Southeast Elementary rank among schools in Kinston?
By Resource Investment Index, Southeast Elementary ranks #2 of 5 schools in Kinston, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Kinston on the city page.
Is Southeast Elementary a good school?
Southeast Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Lenoir County Public Schools?
Besides Southeast Elementary, Lenoir County Public Schools also operates North Lenoir High (957 students), Contentnea-Savannah School (789 students), and South Lenoir High (721 students). See the Lenoir County Public 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.