Enrollment
822
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Graham, NC
Southern Alamance Middle
Federal NCES profile for Southern Alamance Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370003000017
👥 S:T ratio 9
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southern Alamance Middle earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of North Carolina schools.
- #11 of 11
- public schools in Graham · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.8:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 46.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Southern Alamance Middle has class sizes larger than 94% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Alamance Middle ranks #11 of 11 public schools in Graham, NC.
School address
District: Alamance-Burlington Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370003000017 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+44% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southern Alamance Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southern Alamance Middle
Southern Alamance Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Graham, North Carolina, enrolling 822 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.8:1 is larger than about 94% of North Carolina schools and 44% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 46.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 822 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.
Among 425 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #353, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (54%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 411 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 240 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 822 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Graham's middle schools, it stands alongside Graham Middle (553 students): Southern Alamance Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22.8:1 vs 12.9:1).
Alamance-Burlington Schools also operates Walter M Williams High (1,206 students) and Southern Alamance High (1,148 students) alongside Southern Alamance 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 Southern Alamance Middle compares
Southern Alamance 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 | 22.8:1 | ▲ 44% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.6% | ▼ 29% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 822 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.8:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
822
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% 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
22.8:1
students per teacher
- 44% above state mean
Top 94% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
29.3%
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
$12,211
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 411 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
156
in-school suspensions + 84 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 19.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 29.2 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 53.9%
Hispanic or Latino 25.7%
African American 12.9%
Two or More 6.0%
Asian 1.6%
Largest group: White at 53.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.3, Southern Alamance 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 Alamance-Burlington Schools, which includes Southern Alamance Middle.
$12,211
Per student
+2%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.4%
State 58.2%
Federal 23.4%
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 Southern Alamance Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walter M Williams High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southern Alamance High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Western Alamance High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eastern Alamance High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hawfields Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southern Alamance Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,206
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,148
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,138
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 952
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 864
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar middle schools in Graham
1 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 (~822 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southern Alamance Middle's federal record.
- Compare Southern Alamance Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Alamance-Burlington 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 Southern Alamance Middle
How many students attend Southern Alamance Middle?
Southern Alamance Middle has 822 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Graham, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southern Alamance Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Southern Alamance Middle is 22.8:1, which is 44% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 45% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southern Alamance Middle?
46.6% of students at Southern Alamance Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southern Alamance Middle?
The largest demographic group at Southern Alamance Middle is White at 53.9% of enrollment, in Graham, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southern Alamance Middle?
Southern Alamance Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (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 Southern Alamance Middle rank among public schools in Graham?
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Alamance Middle ranks #11 of 11 public schools in Graham, 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 Graham on the city page.
Is Southern Alamance Middle a good school?
Southern Alamance Middle earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% 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 Alamance-Burlington Schools?
Besides Southern Alamance Middle, Alamance-Burlington Schools also operates Walter M Williams High (1,206 students), Southern Alamance High (1,148 students), and Western Alamance High (1,138 students). See the Alamance-Burlington 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.