Enrollment
909
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Indian Trail, NC
Sun Valley Middle
Federal NCES profile for Sun Valley Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370462001804
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sun Valley Middle earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 8
- public schools in Indian Trail · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.2:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 42.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Sun Valley Middle has class sizes larger than 82% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sun Valley Middle ranks #2 of 8 public schools in Indian Trail, NC.
School address
District: Union County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370462001804 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.2:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.9%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sun Valley Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sun Valley Middle
Sun Valley Middle is a large middle school in Indian Trail, North Carolina, enrolling 909 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.2:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 42.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 909 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 392 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #288, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%) (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 303 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 54.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 245 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 909 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 8 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Indian Trail's middle schools, it stands alongside Porter Ridge Middle School (1,447 students): Sun Valley Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.2:1 vs 23.3:1).
Union County Public Schools also operates Marvin Ridge High (1,961 students) and Weddington High (1,899 students) alongside Sun Valley 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 Sun Valley Middle compares
Sun Valley 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 | 18.2:1 | ▲ 15% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.9% | ▼ 35% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 909 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.2:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
909
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
18.2:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 82% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
54.1%
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
$11,010
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 303 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
127
in-school suspensions + 118 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 27.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 8 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
White 48.5%
Hispanic or Latino 23.4%
African American 19.5%
Two or More 5.2%
Asian 3.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 48.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.8, Sun Valley Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Union County Public Schools, which includes Sun Valley Middle.
$11,010
Per student
-8%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 55.8%
Federal 15.3%
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 Sun Valley Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marvin Ridge High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Weddington High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cuthbertson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Porter Ridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Porter Ridge Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sun Valley Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,961
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,857
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,809
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,447
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar middle schools in Indian Trail
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 (~909 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sun Valley Middle's federal record.
- Compare Sun Valley Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Union County Public 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 Sun Valley Middle
How many students attend Sun Valley Middle?
Sun Valley Middle has 909 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Indian Trail, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sun Valley Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Sun Valley Middle is 18.2:1, which is 15% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 16% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sun Valley Middle?
42.9% of students at Sun Valley Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sun Valley Middle?
The largest demographic group at Sun Valley Middle is White at 48.5% of enrollment, in Indian Trail, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sun Valley Middle?
Sun Valley Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Sun Valley Middle rank among public schools in Indian Trail?
By Resource Investment Index, Sun Valley Middle ranks #2 of 8 public schools in Indian Trail, 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 Indian Trail on the city page.
Is Sun Valley Middle a good school?
Sun Valley Middle earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% 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 Union County Public Schools?
Besides Sun Valley Middle, Union County Public Schools also operates Marvin Ridge High (1,961 students), Weddington High (1,899 students), and Cuthbertson High (1,857 students). See the Union County Public Schools district page for the complete list.
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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.