Enrollment
102
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Franklin, NC
Union Academy
Federal NCES profile for Union Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 66/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370276003126
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Union Academy earns 66/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in North Carolina.
- #1 of 5
- schools in Franklin · Resource Index
- 66
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.8:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 97.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Union Academy has class sizes smaller than 80% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Union Academy ranks #1 of 5 schools in Franklin, NC.
School address
District: Macon County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370276003126 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
8.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
97.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Union Academy compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Union Academy
Union Academy is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Franklin, North Carolina, enrolling 102 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 97.1% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 96% of North Carolina schools, with 102 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 98% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 71 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #8, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (76%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 41/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 102 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Its district draws 23.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Franklin's public schools, it stands alongside South Macon Elementary (465 students): Union Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.8:1 vs 10.8:1).
Macon County Schools also operates Franklin High (996 students) and Mountain View Intermediate (614 students) alongside Union Academy.
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 Union Academy compares
Union Academy 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 | 12.8:1 | ▼ 19% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 97.1% | ▲ 47% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 102 | top 96% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
102
Bigger than 10% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
97.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% 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
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 20% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 80% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$13,154
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 102 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.8 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 75.5%
Hispanic or Latino 14.7%
African American 4.9%
Two or More 2.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.0%
Largest group: White at 75.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.5, Union Academy is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Macon County Schools, which includes Union Academy.
$13,154
Per student
+9%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.4%
State 56.4%
Federal 23.2%
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 Union Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Intermediate | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Macon Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Macon Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Iotla Valley Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Union Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 996
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 614
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 576
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 465
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 408
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other schools in Franklin
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
South Macon Elementary
Standard public school
465 students 10.8:1 students per teacher
Iotla Valley Elementary
Standard public school
408 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Cartoogechaye Elementary
Standard public school
354 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Macon Virtual Academy
Standard public school
44 students 44:1 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 (~102 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Union Academy's federal record.
- Compare Union Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Macon 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 Union Academy
How many students attend Union Academy?
Union Academy has 102 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Franklin, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Union Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Union Academy is 12.8:1, which is 19% 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 Union Academy?
97.1% of students at Union Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Union Academy?
The largest demographic group at Union Academy is White at 75.5% of enrollment, in Franklin, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Union Academy?
Union Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 66/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Union Academy rank among schools in Franklin?
By Resource Investment Index, Union Academy ranks #1 of 5 schools in Franklin, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Franklin on the city page.
Is Union Academy a good school?
Union Academy earns 66/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in North Carolina. 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 Macon County Schools?
Besides Union Academy, Macon County Schools also operates Franklin High (996 students), Mountain View Intermediate (614 students), and Macon Middle School (576 students). See the Macon 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.