Enrollment
450
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Wilmington, NC
Sunset Park Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sunset Park Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370333001390
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 55
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sunset Park Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% of North Carolina schools.
- #9 of 24
- elementary schools in Wilmington · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.2:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 98.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Sunset Park Elementary has class sizes smaller than 76% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Park Elementary ranks #9 of 24 elementary schools in Wilmington, NC.
School address
District: New Hanover County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370333001390 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.2:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sunset Park Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sunset Park Elementary
Sunset Park Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Wilmington, North Carolina, enrolling 450 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 98.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 450 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 544 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #78.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (62%) and African American (23%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 225 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Wilmington's elementary schools, it stands alongside Porters Neck Elementary (666 students): Sunset Park Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.2:1 vs 16.6:1).
New Hanover County Schools also operates Emsley a Laney High (2,243 students) and John T Hoggard High (2,082 students) alongside Sunset Park 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 Park Elementary compares
Sunset Park 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 | 13.2:1 | ▼ 16% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.8% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 450 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.2:1
Leaner classes than 65% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
450
Bigger than 55% 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
13.2:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 24% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 76% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
36.9%
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
$13,724
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 225 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 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 62.2%
African American 22.9%
White 8.9%
Two or More 5.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 62.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.9, Sunset Park Elementary is about as mixed as the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for New Hanover County Schools, which includes Sunset Park Elementary.
$13,724
Per student
+14%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.4%
State 51.7%
Federal 18.8%
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 Park Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emsley a Laney High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John T Hoggard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eugene Ashley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| New Hanover High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Charles P Murray Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sunset Park Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,243
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,082
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,893
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,437
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 907
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar elementary schools in Wilmington
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Porters Neck Elementary
Standard public school
666 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Ogden Elementary
Standard public school
619 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Masonboro Elementary
Standard public school
564 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Heyward C Bellamy Elem
Standard public school
533 students 14:1 students per teacher
The International School at Gregory
Standard public school
514 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Edwin a Anderson Elementary
Standard public school
514 students 12.5:1 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 (~450 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sunset Park Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sunset Park Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- New Hanover 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 Sunset Park Elementary
How many students attend Sunset Park Elementary?
Sunset Park Elementary has 450 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Wilmington, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sunset Park Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sunset Park Elementary is 13.2:1, which is 16% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 16% 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 Park Elementary?
98.8% of students at Sunset Park Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sunset Park Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sunset Park Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 62.2% of enrollment, in Wilmington, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sunset Park Elementary?
Sunset Park Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Sunset Park Elementary rank among elementary schools in Wilmington?
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Park Elementary ranks #9 of 24 elementary schools in Wilmington, 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 Wilmington on the city page.
Is Sunset Park Elementary a good school?
Sunset Park Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% 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 New Hanover County Schools?
Besides Sunset Park Elementary, New Hanover County Schools also operates Emsley a Laney High (2,243 students), John T Hoggard High (2,082 students), and Eugene Ashley High (1,893 students). See the New Hanover 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.