Enrollment
281
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Henderson, NC
Stem Early High
Federal NCES profile for Stem Early High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370465003308
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Stem Early High earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of North Carolina schools.
- #10 of 17
- public schools in Henderson · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.6:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 98.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Stem Early High has class sizes larger than 93% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Stem Early High ranks #10 of 17 public schools in Henderson, NC.
School address
District: Vance County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370465003308 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+37% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Stem Early High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Stem Early High
Stem Early High is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Henderson, North Carolina, enrolling 281 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.6:1 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.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 98.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 281 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 307 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #222, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (48%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 281 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Henderson's middle schools, it stands alongside Vance County Middle School (755 students): Stem Early High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.6:1 vs 16.1:1).
Vance County Schools also operates Vance County High School (1,064 students) and Vance County Middle School (755 students) alongside Stem Early High.
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 Stem Early High compares
Stem Early High 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 | 21.6:1 | ▲ 37% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.8% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 281 | top 79% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.6:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
281
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
21.6:1
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
32.7%
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
$12,944
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 281 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.8 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
African American 47.7%
Hispanic or Latino 31.0%
White 15.7%
Two or More 2.8%
Asian 2.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 47.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.0, Stem Early High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Vance County Schools, which includes Stem Early High.
$12,944
Per student
+8%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 15.4%
State 61.3%
Federal 23.3%
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 Stem Early High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vance County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Vance County Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dabney Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Aycock Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Clarke Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Stem Early High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,064
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 755
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 385
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 376
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 364
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar middle schools in Henderson
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 (~281 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Stem Early High's federal record.
- Compare Stem Early High against another school. Compare schools
- Vance 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 Stem Early High
How many students attend Stem Early High?
Stem Early High has 281 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Henderson, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Stem Early High?
The student-teacher ratio at Stem Early High is 21.6:1, 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 Stem Early High?
98.8% of students at Stem Early High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Stem Early High?
The largest demographic group at Stem Early High is African American at 47.7% of enrollment, in Henderson, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Stem Early High?
Stem Early High has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 Stem Early High rank among public schools in Henderson?
By Resource Investment Index, Stem Early High ranks #10 of 17 public schools in Henderson, 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 Henderson on the city page.
Is Stem Early High a good school?
Stem Early High earns 36/100 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 Vance County Schools?
Besides Stem Early High, Vance County Schools also operates Vance County High School (1,064 students), Vance County Middle School (755 students), and Dabney Elementary (385 students). See the Vance 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.