Enrollment
628
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Salisbury, NC
Southeast Middle
Federal NCES profile for Southeast Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370405002543
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southeast Middle earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of North Carolina schools.
- #1 of 4
- middle schools in Salisbury · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.7:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 67.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Southeast Middle has class sizes larger than 93% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southeast Middle ranks #1 of 4 middle schools in Salisbury, NC.
School address
District: Rowan-Salisbury Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370405002543 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+37% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southeast Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southeast Middle
Southeast Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Salisbury, North Carolina, enrolling 628 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.7:1 is larger than about 93% of North Carolina schools and 37% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 67.1% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 628 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 383 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #362, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (43%) and White (30%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 628 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.4% 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: 263 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 628 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Salisbury's middle schools, it stands alongside Erwin Middle (763 students): Southeast Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.7:1 vs 15.9:1).
Rowan-Salisbury Schools also operates Carson High (1,063 students) and West Rowan High (988 students) alongside Southeast 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 Southeast Middle compares
Southeast 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 | 21.7:1 | ▲ 37% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.1% | ▲ 2% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 628 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.7:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
628
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% 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
21.7:1
students per teacher
- 37% above state mean
Top 93% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
30.4%
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
$11,832
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 628 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
138
in-school suspensions + 125 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 22.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 41.9 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
Hispanic or Latino 43.2%
White 30.4%
African American 18.8%
Two or More 7.0%
Asian 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 43.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.1, Southeast Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rowan-Salisbury Schools, which includes Southeast Middle.
$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 Southeast Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Rowan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Rowan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Rowan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Salisbury High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southeast Middle'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
- 932
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 930
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar middle schools in Salisbury
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~628 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southeast Middle's federal record.
- Compare Southeast Middle 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 Southeast Middle
How many students attend Southeast Middle?
Southeast Middle has 628 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Salisbury, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southeast Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Southeast Middle is 21.7:1, which is 37% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southeast Middle?
67.1% of students at Southeast Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southeast Middle?
The largest demographic group at Southeast Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 43.2% of enrollment, in Salisbury, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southeast Middle?
Southeast Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (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 Southeast Middle rank among middle schools in Salisbury?
By Resource Investment Index, Southeast Middle ranks #1 of 4 middle schools in Salisbury, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Salisbury on the city page.
Is Southeast Middle a good school?
Southeast Middle earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% 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 Southeast Middle, 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.