- Enrollment
- 1,945
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hampstead, NC
Surf City Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Surf City Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370357003478
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Surf City Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 4
- schools in Hampstead · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.5:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 27.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Surf City Elementary has class sizes larger than 88% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Surf City Elementary ranks #3 of 4 schools in Hampstead, NC.
School address
District: Pender County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370357003478 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+42 students YoY
Surf City Elementary grew from 808 students in 2022-23 to 850 in 2023-24 (+5.2%).
Teacher FTE added 44.0 → 50.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+42 students YoY 370357003478 · Hampstead, NC Other · MID · TRAD
857 enr · 19.5:1 · 27.0% lunch · RII 31
Nearest enrollment peer: Topsail High (1,945 students)
Surf City Elementary grew from 808 students in 2022-23 to 850 in 2023-24 (+5.2%). Teacher FTE added 44.0 → 50.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Surf City Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Topsail High
Topsail High
1,945 students
- This school
Surf City Elementary
857 students
- Topsail Middle
Topsail Middle
837 students
- Surf City Midd 752
Surf City Middle
752 students
- Heide Trask Hi 732
Heide Trask High
732 students
- Pender High 648
Pender High
648 students
What this shows Surf City Elementary reports 857 students on the CCD universe file.
How Surf City Elementary compares
Surf City Elementary is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.5:1 | ▲ 23% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.0% | ▼ 59% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 857 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.5:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
857
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
27.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19.5:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 88% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
27.7%
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
$11,425
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,294
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 857 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 79.8%
Hispanic or Latino 9.2%
Two or More 7.2%
African American 2.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 79.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.9, Surf City Elementary is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Pender County Schools reports $11,425 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Surf City Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topsail High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Topsail Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Surf City Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heide Trask High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pender High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Surf City Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 837
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 752
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 732
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Hampstead
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~857 students)
Frequently asked questions about Surf City Elementary
How many students attend Surf City Elementary?
Surf City Elementary has 857 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hampstead, NC. CCD year-over-year: 808 (2022-23) → 850 (2023-24), up 42.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Surf City Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Surf City Elementary is 19.5:1, which is 23% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 24% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Surf City Elementary?
27.0% of students at Surf City Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Surf City Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Surf City Elementary is White at 79.8% of enrollment, in Hampstead, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Surf City Elementary?
Surf City Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Surf City Elementary rank among schools in Hampstead?
By Resource Investment Index, Surf City Elementary ranks #3 of 4 schools in Hampstead, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hampstead on the city page.
What other schools are in Pender County Schools?
Besides Surf City Elementary, Pender County Schools also operates Topsail High (1,945 students), Topsail Middle (837 students), and Surf City Middle (752 students). See the Pender County Schools district page for the complete list.