Enrollment
196
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Taylorsville, NC
Sugar Loaf Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sugar Loaf Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 60/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370009000034
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 61
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sugar Loaf Elementary earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 3
- elementary schools in Taylorsville · Resource Index
- 60
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.1:1
- students per teacher
- 53.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Sugar Loaf Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sugar Loaf Elementary ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Taylorsville, NC.
School address
District: Alexander County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370009000034 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sugar Loaf Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sugar Loaf Elementary
Sugar Loaf Elementary is a higher-need, small elementary school in Taylorsville, North Carolina, enrolling 196 students.
At 15.1:1, 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 runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 53.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 196 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 114 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #12, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (83% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 31/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 196 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
12.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 20.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Taylorsville's elementary schools, it stands alongside Ellendale Elementary (168 students): Sugar Loaf Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.1:1 vs 12:1).
Alexander County Schools also operates Alexander Central High (1,254 students) and East Alexander Middle (510 students) alongside Sugar Loaf 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 Sugar Loaf Elementary compares
Sugar Loaf 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 | 15.1:1 | ▼ 4% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.4% | ▼ 19% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 196 | top 89% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
196
Bigger than 19% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 50% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
12.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$12,879
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 196 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.6 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 82.7%
Two or More 8.2%
African American 5.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.1%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 82.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.5, Sugar Loaf Elementary is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alexander County Schools, which includes Sugar Loaf Elementary.
$12,879
Per student
+7%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.3%
State 63.6%
Federal 20.1%
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 Sugar Loaf Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Central High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Alexander Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Alexander Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bethlehem Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hiddenite Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sugar Loaf Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,254
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 510
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 467
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 435
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 370
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar elementary schools in Taylorsville
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~196 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sugar Loaf Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sugar Loaf Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Alexander 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 Sugar Loaf Elementary
How many students attend Sugar Loaf Elementary?
Sugar Loaf Elementary has 196 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Taylorsville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sugar Loaf Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sugar Loaf Elementary is 15.1:1, which is 4% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 4% 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 Sugar Loaf Elementary?
53.4% of students at Sugar Loaf Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sugar Loaf Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sugar Loaf Elementary is White at 82.7% of enrollment, in Taylorsville, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sugar Loaf Elementary?
Sugar Loaf Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 60/100 (higher 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 Sugar Loaf Elementary rank among elementary schools in Taylorsville?
By Resource Investment Index, Sugar Loaf Elementary ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Taylorsville, 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 Taylorsville on the city page.
Is Sugar Loaf Elementary a good school?
Sugar Loaf Elementary earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Alexander County Schools?
Besides Sugar Loaf Elementary, Alexander County Schools also operates Alexander Central High (1,254 students), East Alexander Middle (510 students), and West Alexander Middle (467 students). See the Alexander 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.