Enrollment
280
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Maxton, NC
Townsend Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Townsend Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370393002052
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Townsend Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 3
- schools in Maxton · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.5:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 98.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Townsend Elementary has class sizes larger than 77% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Townsend Elementary ranks #2 of 3 schools in Maxton, NC.
School address
District: Public Schools of Robeson County · North Carolina
NCES ID 370393002052 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.9%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Townsend Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Townsend Elementary
Townsend Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Maxton, North Carolina, enrolling 280 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.5:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 98.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 280 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 306 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #221, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (56%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (30%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 280 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 96.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 27.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 252 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 280 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Maxton's public schools, it stands alongside Prospect Elementary (775 students): Townsend Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.5:1 vs 14.9:1).
Public Schools of Robeson County also operates Lumberton Senior High (1,894 students) and Purnell Swett High (1,583 students) alongside Townsend 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 Townsend Elementary compares
Townsend 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 | 17.5:1 | ▲ 11% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.9% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 280 | top 79% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
280
Bigger than 29% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.9%
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
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 77% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
96.8%
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
$12,594
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 280 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
128
in-school suspensions + 124 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 45.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 90.0 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
African American 56.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 30.0%
Hispanic or Latino 6.8%
Two or More 4.3%
White 2.9%
Largest group: African American at 56.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.8, Townsend 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 Public Schools of Robeson County, which includes Townsend Elementary.
$12,594
Per student
+5%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 11.8%
State 60.4%
Federal 27.8%
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 Townsend Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lumberton Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Purnell Swett High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Saint Pauls High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Red Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fairmont High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Townsend Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,894
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,583
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,142
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 867
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 780
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Maxton
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~280 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Townsend Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Townsend Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Public Schools of Robeson County'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 Townsend Elementary
How many students attend Townsend Elementary?
Townsend Elementary has 280 students enrolled. It is a public school in Maxton, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Townsend Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Townsend Elementary is 17.5:1, which is 11% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Townsend Elementary?
98.9% of students at Townsend Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Townsend Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Townsend Elementary is African American at 56.1% of enrollment, in Maxton, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Townsend Elementary?
Townsend Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 Townsend Elementary rank among schools in Maxton?
By Resource Investment Index, Townsend Elementary ranks #2 of 3 schools in Maxton, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Maxton on the city page.
Is Townsend Elementary a good school?
Townsend Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% 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 Public Schools of Robeson County?
Besides Townsend Elementary, Public Schools of Robeson County also operates Lumberton Senior High (1,894 students), Purnell Swett High (1,583 students), and Saint Pauls High (1,142 students). See the Public Schools of Robeson County 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.