- Enrollment
- 536
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Bryson City, NC
Swain County West Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Swain County West Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370444002316
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Swain County West Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Bryson City · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 99.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Swain County West Elementary has class sizes smaller than 78% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Swain County West Elementary ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Bryson City, NC.
School address
District: Swain County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370444002316 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+16 students YoY
Swain County West Elementary held near 419 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+16 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 31.1 → 29.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+16 students YoY 370444002316 · Bryson City, NC Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
403 enr · 13:1 · 99.3% lunch · RII 34
Nearest enrollment peer: Swain County High School (536 students)
Swain County West Elementary held near 419 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+16 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 31.1 → 29.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Swain County West Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Swain County H
Swain County High School
536 students
- Swain County M
Swain County Middle School
453 students
- This school
Swain County West Elementary
403 students
- Swain County E
Swain County East Elementary
338 students
- Cherokee Exten 110
Cherokee Extension School
110 students
What this shows Swain County West Elementary reports 403 students on the CCD universe file.
How Swain County West Elementary compares
Swain County West Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: 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 | 13:1 | ▼ 18% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.3% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 403 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13:1
Leaner classes than 67% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
403
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
99.3%
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
13:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 22% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
55.1%
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
$14,518
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,294
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 403 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 72.7%
Two or More 11.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 7.9%
Hispanic or Latino 6.5%
Asian 1.2%
Largest group: White at 72.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.7, Swain County West Elementary is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Swain County Schools reports $14,518 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Swain County West Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swain County High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Swain County Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Swain County East Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cherokee Extension School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Swain County West Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 453
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 338
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 110
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Similar elementary schools in Bryson City
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary 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 (~403 students)
Frequently asked questions about Swain County West Elementary
How many students attend Swain County West Elementary?
Swain County West Elementary has 403 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Bryson City, NC. CCD year-over-year: 403 (2022-23) → 419 (2023-24), nearly flat (+16).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Swain County West Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Swain County West Elementary is 13:1, which is 18% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 17% 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 Swain County West Elementary?
99.3% of students at Swain County West Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Swain County West Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Swain County West Elementary is White at 72.7% of enrollment, in Bryson City, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Swain County West Elementary?
Swain County West Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical 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 Swain County West Elementary rank among elementary schools in Bryson City?
By Resource Investment Index, Swain County West Elementary ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Bryson City, 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 Bryson City on the city page.
What other schools are in Swain County Schools?
Besides Swain County West Elementary, Swain County Schools also operates Swain County High School (536 students), Swain County Middle School (453 students), and Swain County East Elementary (338 students). See the Swain County Schools district page for the complete list.