Enrollment
600
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Southern Pines, NC
Southern Pines Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Southern Pines Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370309001327
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southern Pines Elementary earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #5 of 5
- public schools in Southern Pines · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 52.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Southern Pines Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Pines Elementary ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Southern Pines, NC.
School address
District: Moore County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370309001327 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.0%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southern Pines Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southern Pines Elementary
Southern Pines Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Southern Pines, North Carolina, enrolling 600 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 52.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 600 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 503 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #466, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (39%) and African American (35%) (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 600 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Southern Pines's public schools, it stands alongside Connect Academy (283 students): Southern Pines Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.3:1 vs 17.7:1).
Moore County Schools also operates Pinecrest High (2,290 students) and Union Pines High (1,462 students) alongside Southern Pines 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 Southern Pines Elementary compares
Southern Pines 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 | 14.3:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.0% | ▼ 21% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 600 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
600
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 39% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
43.5%
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
$11,242
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 600 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.7 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 39.3%
African American 34.7%
Hispanic or Latino 13.0%
Two or More 11.0%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: White at 39.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.6, Southern Pines Elementary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Moore County Schools, which includes Southern Pines Elementary.
$11,242
Per student
-6%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.6%
State 57.2%
Federal 19.2%
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 Pines Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinecrest High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Union Pines High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Pine Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mcdeeds Creek Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Aberdeen Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southern Pines Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,290
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,462
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 717
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 707
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 675
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools in Southern Pines
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~600 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southern Pines Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Southern Pines Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Moore 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 Southern Pines Elementary
How many students attend Southern Pines Elementary?
Southern Pines Elementary has 600 students enrolled. It is a public school in Southern Pines, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southern Pines Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Southern Pines Elementary is 14.3:1, which is 9% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 9% 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 Southern Pines Elementary?
52.0% of students at Southern Pines Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southern Pines Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Southern Pines Elementary is White at 39.3% of enrollment, in Southern Pines, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southern Pines Elementary?
Southern Pines Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (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 Pines Elementary rank among public schools in Southern Pines?
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Pines Elementary ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Southern Pines, 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 Southern Pines on the city page.
Is Southern Pines Elementary a good school?
Southern Pines Elementary earns 28/100 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 Moore County Schools?
Besides Southern Pines Elementary, Moore County Schools also operates Pinecrest High (2,290 students), Union Pines High (1,462 students), and West Pine Middle (717 students). See the Moore 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.