Enrollment
453
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Winston Salem, NC
The Downtown School
Federal NCES profile for The Downtown School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370150002293
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 74
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
The Downtown School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 22
- schools in Winston Salem · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.9:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 23.2%
- free-lunch eligible
The Downtown School has class sizes smaller than 79% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, The Downtown School ranks #2 of 22 schools in Winston Salem, NC.
School address
District: Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370150002293 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How The Downtown School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at The Downtown School
The Downtown School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Winston Salem, North Carolina, enrolling 453 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 23.2% free-meal eligibility runs 65% below the North Carolina average.
With 453 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 175 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #59.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and African American (34%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 453 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
10.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 22.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Winston Salem's public schools, it stands alongside Speas Elementary (793 students): The Downtown School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.9:1 vs 15.9:1).
Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools also operates West Forsyth High (2,145 students) and Ronald W Reagan High School (2,122 students) alongside The Downtown School.
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 The Downtown School compares
The Downtown School 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 | 12.9:1 | ▼ 18% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.2% | ▼ 65% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 453 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
453
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% 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
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 21% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 79% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
10.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,036
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 453 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 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
White 46.6%
African American 34.0%
Hispanic or Latino 9.1%
Two or More 7.9%
Asian 1.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 46.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.2, The Downtown School is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools, which includes The Downtown School.
$13,036
Per student
+8%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.3%
State 52.1%
Federal 22.5%
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 The Downtown School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Forsyth High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ronald W Reagan High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| R J Reynolds High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Forsyth High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parkland High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to The Downtown School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,145
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,122
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,759
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,647
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,569
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in Winston Salem
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Speas Elementary
Standard public school
793 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Sherwood Forest Elementary
Standard public school
670 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Griffith Elementary
Standard public school
621 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Old Town Elementary
Standard public school
617 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Konnoak Elementary
Standard public school
600 students 14:1 students per teacher
Paisley Ib Magnet School
Standard public school
553 students 12:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~453 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on The Downtown School's federal record.
- Compare The Downtown School against another school. Compare schools
- Winston Salem / Forsyth 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 The Downtown School
How many students attend The Downtown School?
The Downtown School has 453 students enrolled. It is a public school in Winston Salem, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at The Downtown School?
The student-teacher ratio at The Downtown School is 12.9:1, which is 18% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 18% 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 The Downtown School?
23.2% of students at The Downtown School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of The Downtown School?
The largest demographic group at The Downtown School is White at 46.6% of enrollment, in Winston Salem, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for The Downtown School?
The Downtown School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 The Downtown School rank among schools in Winston Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, The Downtown School ranks #2 of 22 schools in Winston Salem, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Winston Salem on the city page.
Is The Downtown School a good school?
The Downtown School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% 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 Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools?
Besides The Downtown School, Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools also operates West Forsyth High (2,145 students), Ronald W Reagan High School (2,122 students), and R J Reynolds High (1,759 students). See the Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Compare schools
Side-by-side comparison tool
Schools in North Carolina
All public schools in North Carolina
Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools
All schools in this district
Schools in Winston Salem
All schools in this city
School districts
Ranked by enrollment & spending
Rankings
Best schools by state & type
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.