Enrollment
525
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Charlotte, NC
Steele Creek Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Steele Creek Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370297001278
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 10
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Steele Creek Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of North Carolina schools.
- #39 of 59
- elementary schools in Charlotte · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.9:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 54.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Steele Creek Elementary has class sizes larger than 72% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Steele Creek Elementary ranks #39 of 59 elementary schools in Charlotte, NC.
School address
District: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370297001278 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Steele Creek Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Steele Creek Elementary
Steele Creek Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Charlotte, North Carolina, enrolling 525 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.9:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 54.5% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 525 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 499 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #240.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (52%) and African American (34%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 263 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Charlotte's elementary schools, it stands alongside South Academy of International Languages (1,259 students): Steele Creek Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.9:1 vs 16.4:1).
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools also operates Myers Park High School (3,225 students) and Ardrey Kell High School (3,036 students) alongside Steele Creek 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 Steele Creek Elementary compares
Steele Creek 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 | 16.9:1 | ▲ 7% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.5% | ▼ 17% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 525 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
525
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% 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
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 72% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
36.0%
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
$11,853
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 263 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.0 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 51.8%
African American 33.9%
White 5.5%
Asian 4.4%
Two or More 4.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 51.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.0, Steele Creek 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 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, which includes Steele Creek Elementary.
$11,853
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.2%
State 52.1%
Federal 15.6%
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 Steele Creek Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myers Park High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ardrey Kell High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Mecklenburg High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| William Amos Hough High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Mecklenburg High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Steele Creek Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,225
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 3,036
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,534
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 2,518
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Charlotte
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
South Academy of International Languages
Standard public school
1,259 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Rea Farms Steam Academy
Standard public school
1,098 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Mallard Creek Stem Academy
Standard public school
961 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Palisades Park Elementary
Standard public school
940 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Unity Classical Charter School
Standard public school
928 students 40.3:1 students per teacher
Collinswood Language Academy
Standard public school
893 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~525 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Steele Creek Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Steele Creek Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg 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 Steele Creek Elementary
How many students attend Steele Creek Elementary?
Steele Creek Elementary has 525 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Charlotte, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Steele Creek Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Steele Creek Elementary is 16.9:1, which is 7% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Steele Creek Elementary?
54.5% of students at Steele Creek Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Steele Creek Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Steele Creek Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 51.8% of enrollment, in Charlotte, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Steele Creek Elementary?
Steele Creek Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Steele Creek Elementary rank among elementary schools in Charlotte?
By Resource Investment Index, Steele Creek Elementary ranks #39 of 59 elementary schools in Charlotte, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Charlotte on the city page.
Is Steele Creek Elementary a good school?
Steele Creek Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% 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 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools?
Besides Steele Creek Elementary, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools also operates Myers Park High School (3,225 students), Ardrey Kell High School (3,036 students), and South Mecklenburg High School (2,534 students). See the Charlotte-Mecklenburg 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.