Enrollment
500
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Spring Lake, NC
Spring Lake Middle
Federal NCES profile for Spring Lake Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370001100437
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Spring Lake Middle earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #2 of 7
- public schools in Spring Lake · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 99.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Spring Lake Middle has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Spring Lake Middle ranks #2 of 7 public schools in Spring Lake, NC.
School address
District: Cumberland County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370001100437 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Spring Lake Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Spring Lake Middle
Spring Lake Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Spring Lake, North Carolina, enrolling 500 students.
At 15.2:1, 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 is high: 99.4% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 500 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 562 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #126.
Its student body is led by African American (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 200 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 61.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 25.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 287 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 500 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Spring Lake's middle schools, it stands alongside Overhills Middle (758 students): Spring Lake Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.2:1 vs 15.2:1).
Cumberland County Schools also operates Jack Britt High (1,940 students) and Pine Forest High (1,551 students) alongside Spring Lake 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 Spring Lake Middle compares
Spring Lake 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 | 15.2:1 | ▼ 4% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.4% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 500 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
500
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 52% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
61.6%
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
$12,412
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
Counselors2.5 FTE
Per 200 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
145
in-school suspensions + 142 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 29.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 57.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 62.8%
Hispanic or Latino 17.0%
Two or More 9.8%
White 9.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Asian 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 62.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.9, Spring Lake 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 Cumberland County Schools, which includes Spring Lake Middle.
$12,412
Per student
+3%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.5%
State 57.7%
Federal 25.7%
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 Spring Lake Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Britt High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pine Forest High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cape Fear High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South View High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gray's Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Spring Lake Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,940
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,551
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,515
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,461
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,458
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar middle schools in Spring Lake
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 (~500 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Spring Lake Middle's federal record.
- Compare Spring Lake Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Cumberland 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 Spring Lake Middle
How many students attend Spring Lake Middle?
Spring Lake Middle has 500 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Spring Lake, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Spring Lake Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Spring Lake Middle is 15.2:1, which is 4% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 3% 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 Spring Lake Middle?
99.4% of students at Spring Lake Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Spring Lake Middle?
The largest demographic group at Spring Lake Middle is African American at 62.8% of enrollment, in Spring Lake, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Spring Lake Middle?
Spring Lake Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Spring Lake Middle rank among public schools in Spring Lake?
By Resource Investment Index, Spring Lake Middle ranks #2 of 7 public schools in Spring Lake, 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 Spring Lake on the city page.
Is Spring Lake Middle a good school?
Spring Lake Middle earns 42/100 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 Cumberland County Schools?
Besides Spring Lake Middle, Cumberland County Schools also operates Jack Britt High (1,940 students), Pine Forest High (1,551 students), and Cape Fear High (1,515 students). See the Cumberland 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.