Enrollment
153
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Murphy, NC
Tri-County Early College High
Federal NCES profile for Tri-County Early College High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370078002892
👥 S:T ratio 24
📚 AP courses 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 69
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Tri-County Early College High earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 3
- high schools in Murphy · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.1:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 59.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Tri-County Early College High has class sizes larger than 87% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Tri-County Early College High ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Murphy, NC.
School address
District: Cherokee County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370078002892 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
8.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.7%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Tri-County Early College High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Tri-County Early College High
Tri-County Early College High is a higher-need, small high school in Murphy, North Carolina, enrolling 153 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.1:1 is larger than about 87% of North Carolina schools and 21% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 59.7% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 92% of North Carolina schools, with 153 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 68 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #55, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 44/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 1 Advanced Placement course.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 153 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Cherokee County Schools spends $15,950 per pupil, 33% above the North Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 27.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Murphy's high schools, it stands alongside Murphy High (424 students): Tri-County Early College High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.1:1 vs 12.5:1).
Cherokee County Schools also operates Murphy Elementary (467 students) and Murphy High (424 students) alongside Tri-County Early College High.
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 Tri-County Early College High compares
Tri-County Early College High 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 | 19.1:1 | ▲ 21% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.7% | ▼ 10% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 153 | top 92% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.1:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
153
Bigger than 15% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% below 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
19.1:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 87% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
39.9%
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
$15,950
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 153 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.9 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 73.2%
Hispanic or Latino 15.7%
Two or More 5.2%
African American 2.6%
Asian 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: White at 73.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.5, Tri-County Early College High is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cherokee County Schools, which includes Tri-County Early College High.
$15,950
Per student
+33%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.4%
State 52.4%
Federal 27.2%
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 Tri-County Early College High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Murphy High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Murphy Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Andrews Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ranger Elementary/Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Tri-County Early College High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 467
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 330
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 264
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar high schools in Murphy
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~153 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Tri-County Early College High's federal record.
- Compare Tri-County Early College High against another school. Compare schools
- Cherokee 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 Tri-County Early College High
How many students attend Tri-County Early College High?
Tri-County Early College High has 153 students enrolled. It is a high school in Murphy, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Tri-County Early College High?
The student-teacher ratio at Tri-County Early College High is 19.1:1, which is 21% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Tri-County Early College High?
59.7% of students at Tri-County Early College High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Tri-County Early College High?
The largest demographic group at Tri-County Early College High is White at 73.2% of enrollment, in Murphy, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Tri-County Early College High?
Tri-County Early College High has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Tri-County Early College High rank among high schools in Murphy?
By Resource Investment Index, Tri-County Early College High ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Murphy, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Murphy on the city page.
Is Tri-County Early College High a good school?
Tri-County Early College High earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 Cherokee County Schools?
Besides Tri-County Early College High, Cherokee County Schools also operates Murphy Elementary (467 students), Murphy High (424 students), and Murphy Middle (353 students). See the Cherokee 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.