Enrollment
649
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Clinton, NC
Sunset Avenue Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sunset Avenue Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370093003029
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 54
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sunset Avenue Elementary earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Clinton · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.1:1
- students per teacher
- 99.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Sunset Avenue Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Avenue Elementary ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Clinton, NC.
School address
District: Clinton City Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370093003029 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sunset Avenue Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sunset Avenue Elementary
Sunset Avenue Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Clinton, North Carolina, enrolling 649 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 99.6% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 649 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 501 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #3, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (43%) and African American (34%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 260 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 22.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 165 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 649 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Clinton's elementary schools, it stands alongside Butler Avenue Elementary (469 students): Sunset Avenue Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.1:1 vs 12.3:1).
Clinton City Schools also operates Clinton High (828 students) and Sampson Middle (703 students) alongside Sunset Avenue 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 Sunset Avenue Elementary compares
Sunset Avenue 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 | 14.1:1 | ▼ 11% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.6% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 649 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.1:1
Leaner classes than 56% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
649
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.6%
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
14.1:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 36% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 64% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,956
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
Counselors2.5 FTE
Per 260 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
120
in-school suspensions + 45 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.4 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 42.8%
African American 34.2%
White 14.5%
Two or More 4.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.1%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 42.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.5, Sunset Avenue 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 Clinton City Schools, which includes Sunset Avenue Elementary.
$11,956
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.2%
State 58.4%
Federal 22.4%
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 Sunset Avenue Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sampson Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Butler Avenue Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Langdon C Kerr Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sunset Avenue Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 828
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 703
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 469
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 366
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar elementary schools in Clinton
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 (~649 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sunset Avenue Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sunset Avenue Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Clinton City 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 Sunset Avenue Elementary
How many students attend Sunset Avenue Elementary?
Sunset Avenue Elementary has 649 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Clinton, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sunset Avenue Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sunset Avenue Elementary is 14.1:1, which is 11% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 10% 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 Sunset Avenue Elementary?
99.6% of students at Sunset Avenue Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sunset Avenue Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sunset Avenue Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 42.8% of enrollment, in Clinton, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sunset Avenue Elementary?
Sunset Avenue Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (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 Sunset Avenue Elementary rank among elementary schools in Clinton?
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Avenue Elementary ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Clinton, 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 Clinton on the city page.
Is Sunset Avenue Elementary a good school?
Sunset Avenue Elementary earns 54/100 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 Clinton City Schools?
Besides Sunset Avenue Elementary, Clinton City Schools also operates Clinton High (828 students), Sampson Middle (703 students), and Butler Avenue Elementary (469 students). See the Clinton City 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.