Enrollment
646
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Raeford, NC
Upchurch Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Upchurch Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370225000806
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Upchurch Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #5 of 6
- schools in Raeford · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 99.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Upchurch Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Upchurch Elementary ranks #5 of 6 schools in Raeford, NC.
School address
District: Hoke County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370225000806 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Upchurch Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Upchurch Elementary
Upchurch Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Raeford, North Carolina, enrolling 646 students.
At 14.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 99.6% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 646 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 505 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #321.
Its student body is led by African American (43%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%) (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 646 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Raeford's public schools, it stands alongside Don D Steed Elementary (628 students): Upchurch Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.7:1 vs 12.1:1).
Hoke County Schools also operates Hoke County High (2,110 students) and East Hoke Middle (771 students) alongside Upchurch 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 Upchurch Elementary compares
Upchurch 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 | 14.7:1 | ▼ 7% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.6% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 646 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
646
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 45% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.2%
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
$11,383
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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 646 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 35 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.4 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 42.9%
Hispanic or Latino 29.1%
White 13.8%
Two or More 11.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.7%
Asian 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 42.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.9, Upchurch 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 Hoke County Schools, which includes Upchurch Elementary.
$11,383
Per student
-5%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 9.6%
State 65.9%
Federal 24.5%
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 Upchurch Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoke County High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Hoke Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Hoke Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Don D Steed Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Scurlock Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Upchurch Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,110
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 771
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 656
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 628
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 611
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar other schools in Raeford
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Don D Steed Elementary
Standard public school
628 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Scurlock Elementary
Standard public school
611 students 12.7:1 students per teacher
Rockfish Hoke Elementary
Standard public school
606 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
West Hoke Elementary
Standard public school
467 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
J W Turlington School
Alternative education program
26 students 5.2:1 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 (~646 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Upchurch Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Upchurch Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Hoke 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 Upchurch Elementary
How many students attend Upchurch Elementary?
Upchurch Elementary has 646 students enrolled. It is a public school in Raeford, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Upchurch Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Upchurch Elementary is 14.7:1, which is 7% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 6% 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 Upchurch Elementary?
99.6% of students at Upchurch Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Upchurch Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Upchurch Elementary is African American at 42.9% of enrollment, in Raeford, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Upchurch Elementary?
Upchurch Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Upchurch Elementary rank among schools in Raeford?
By Resource Investment Index, Upchurch Elementary ranks #5 of 6 schools in Raeford, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Raeford on the city page.
Is Upchurch Elementary a good school?
Upchurch Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. 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 Hoke County Schools?
Besides Upchurch Elementary, Hoke County Schools also operates Hoke County High (2,110 students), East Hoke Middle (771 students), and West Hoke Middle (656 students). See the Hoke 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.