- Enrollment
- 1,479
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Arden, NC
Valley Springs Middle
Federal NCES profile for Valley Springs Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370045000165
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Valley Springs Middle earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Arden · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 48.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Valley Springs Middle has class sizes smaller than 80% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Valley Springs Middle ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Arden, NC.
School address
District: Buncombe County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370045000165 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+0 students YoY
Valley Springs Middle held near 634 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+0 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 51.0 → 50.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+0 students YoY 370045000165 · Arden, NC Elementary · MID · TRAD
654 enr · 12.8:1 · 48.3% lunch · RII 47
Nearest enrollment peer: Roberson High (1,479 students)
Valley Springs Middle held near 634 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+0 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 51.0 → 50.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Valley Springs Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Roberson High
Roberson High
1,479 students
- Reynolds High
Reynolds High
1,169 students
- Enka High
Enka High
1,051 students
- Erwin High
Erwin High
1,013 students
- North Buncombe
North Buncombe High
896 students
- This school
Valley Springs Middle
654 students
What this shows Valley Springs Middle reports 654 students on the CCD universe file.
How Valley Springs Middle compares
Valley Springs Middle held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 | 48.3% | ▼ 27% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 654 | top 29% | - | - |
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.
654
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
48.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% 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
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.
Engagement
25.5%
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
$13,585
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,294
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 327 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
133
in-school suspensions + 98 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 20.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 35.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 51.2%
Hispanic or Latino 26.9%
African American 10.9%
Two or More 6.9%
Asian 3.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
Largest group: White at 51.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.8, Valley Springs Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Buncombe County Schools reports $13,585 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Valley Springs Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roberson High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reynolds High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enka High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Erwin High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Buncombe High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Valley Springs Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,169
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,051
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,013
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 896
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~654 students)
Frequently asked questions about Valley Springs Middle
How many students attend Valley Springs Middle?
Valley Springs Middle has 654 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Arden, NC. CCD year-over-year: 634 (2022-23) → 634 (2023-24), nearly flat (+0).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Valley Springs Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Valley Springs Middle 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 Valley Springs Middle?
48.3% of students at Valley Springs Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Valley Springs Middle?
The largest demographic group at Valley Springs Middle is White at 51.2% of enrollment, in Arden, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Valley Springs Middle?
Valley Springs Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Valley Springs Middle rank among public schools in Arden?
By Resource Investment Index, Valley Springs Middle ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Arden, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Buncombe County Schools?
Besides Valley Springs Middle, Buncombe County Schools also operates Roberson High (1,479 students), Reynolds High (1,169 students), and Enka High (1,051 students). See the Buncombe County Schools district page for the complete list.