Enrollment
389
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Flat Rock, NC
Upward Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Upward Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370210000805
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Upward Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Flat Rock · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.2:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 76.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Upward Elementary has class sizes smaller than 86% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Upward Elementary ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Flat Rock, NC.
School address
District: Henderson County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370210000805 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.2:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Upward Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Upward Elementary
Upward Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Flat Rock, North Carolina, enrolling 389 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12.2:1, Upward Elementary is leaner than roughly 86% of North Carolina schools and 23% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 76.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 389 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 216 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #137.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (53%) and White (37%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 389 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Flat Rock's public schools, it stands alongside Henderson County Career Academy (114 students): Upward Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.2:1 vs 6.7:1).
Henderson County Schools also operates West Henderson High (1,053 students) and North Henderson High (1,052 students) alongside Upward 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 Upward Elementary compares
Upward 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 | 12.2:1 | ▼ 23% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.5% | ▲ 16% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 389 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.2:1
Leaner classes than 74% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
389
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% 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
12.2:1
students per teacher
- 23% below state mean
Top 14% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
42.2%
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
$11,469
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 389 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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
Hispanic or Latino 52.7%
White 37.0%
Two or More 3.6%
African American 2.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.3%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 52.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.3, Upward 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 Henderson County Schools, which includes Upward Elementary.
$11,469
Per student
-5%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.8%
State 58.3%
Federal 19.9%
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 Upward Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Henderson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Henderson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Henderson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rugby Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apple Valley Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Upward Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,053
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,052
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 932
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 849
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 820
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Flat Rock
1 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 (~389 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Upward Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Upward Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Henderson 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 Upward Elementary
How many students attend Upward Elementary?
Upward Elementary has 389 students enrolled. It is a public school in Flat Rock, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Upward Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Upward Elementary is 12.2:1, which is 23% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 22% 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 Upward Elementary?
76.5% of students at Upward Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Upward Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Upward Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 52.7% of enrollment, in Flat Rock, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Upward Elementary?
Upward 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 Upward Elementary rank among public schools in Flat Rock?
By Resource Investment Index, Upward Elementary ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Flat Rock, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Flat Rock on the city page.
Is Upward Elementary a good school?
Upward Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% 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 Henderson County Schools?
Besides Upward Elementary, Henderson County Schools also operates West Henderson High (1,053 students), North Henderson High (1,052 students), and East Henderson High (932 students). See the Henderson 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.