Enrollment
582
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Garner, NC
Vandora Springs Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Vandora Springs Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370472001899
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vandora Springs Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #3 of 9
- schools in Garner · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- students per teacher
- 66.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Vandora Springs Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vandora Springs Elementary ranks #3 of 9 schools in Garner, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472001899 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+0% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vandora Springs Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vandora Springs Elementary
Vandora Springs Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Garner, North Carolina, enrolling 582 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 66.1% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 582 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 404 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #75.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (35%) and African American (33%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 291 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Garner's public schools, it stands alongside Polenta Elementary (1,010 students): Vandora Springs Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.2:1 vs 14.6:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside Vandora Springs 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 Vandora Springs Elementary compares
Vandora Springs 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 | 14.2:1 | ▼ 10% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.1% | ▲ 0% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 582 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
582
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 0% 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
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 37% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 63% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
30.4%
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
$11,859
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 291 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.6 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 34.5%
African American 33.2%
White 25.1%
Two or More 5.3%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 34.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.5, Vandora Springs 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 Wake County Schools, which includes Vandora Springs Elementary.
$11,859
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 54.5%
Federal 16.6%
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 Vandora Springs Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Friendship High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enloe High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Panther Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millbrook High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vandora Springs Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,748
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,643
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,609
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,498
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,449
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Garner
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Polenta Elementary
Standard public school
1,010 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
West View Elementary
Standard public school
969 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Bryan Road Elementary
Standard public school
685 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Creech Road Elementary
Standard public school
549 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
East Garner Elementary
Standard public school
535 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Rand Road Elementary
Standard public school
394 students 12.7:1 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 (~582 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vandora Springs Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Vandora Springs Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Wake 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 Vandora Springs Elementary
How many students attend Vandora Springs Elementary?
Vandora Springs Elementary has 582 students enrolled. It is a public school in Garner, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vandora Springs Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Vandora Springs Elementary is 14.2:1, which is 10% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 10% 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 Vandora Springs Elementary?
66.1% of students at Vandora Springs Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vandora Springs Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Vandora Springs Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 34.5% of enrollment, in Garner, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vandora Springs Elementary?
Vandora Springs Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Vandora Springs Elementary rank among schools in Garner?
By Resource Investment Index, Vandora Springs Elementary ranks #3 of 9 schools in Garner, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Garner on the city page.
Is Vandora Springs Elementary a good school?
Vandora Springs Elementary earns 45/100 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 Wake County Schools?
Besides Vandora Springs Elementary, Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students), Enloe High (2,643 students), and Panther Creek High (2,609 students). See the Wake 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.