Enrollment
191
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Cherryville, NC
W B Beam Intermediate School
Federal NCES profile for W B Beam Intermediate School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370162002730
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 62
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
W B Beam Intermediate School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Cherryville · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.1:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 58.1%
- free-lunch eligible
W B Beam Intermediate School has class sizes larger than 87% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, W B Beam Intermediate School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Cherryville, NC.
School address
District: Gaston County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370162002730 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
10.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How W B Beam Intermediate School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at W B Beam Intermediate School
W B Beam Intermediate School is a higher-need, small elementary school in Cherryville, North Carolina, enrolling 191 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.1:1 is larger than about 87% of North Carolina schools and 21% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 58.1% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 191 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 111 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #87, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 191 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Gaston County Schools also operates Ashbrook High (1,386 students) and Hunter Huss High (1,165 students) alongside W B Beam Intermediate School.
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 W B Beam Intermediate School compares
W B Beam Intermediate School 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 | 19.1:1 | ▲ 21% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.1% | ▼ 12% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 191 | top 89% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.1:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
191
Bigger than 19% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
19.1:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 87% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.6%
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
$11,409
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 191 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.1 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 67.0%
Hispanic or Latino 15.2%
African American 12.0%
Two or More 5.2%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 67.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.1, W B Beam Intermediate School is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gaston County Schools, which includes W B Beam Intermediate School.
$11,409
Per student
-5%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.3%
State 64.3%
Federal 19.4%
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 W B Beam Intermediate School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashbrook High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hunter Huss High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Forestview High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Gaston High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Point High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to W B Beam Intermediate School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,386
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,165
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,133
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,061
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 989
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar elementary 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 (~191 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on W B Beam Intermediate School's federal record.
- Compare W B Beam Intermediate School against another school. Compare schools
- Gaston 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 W B Beam Intermediate School
How many students attend W B Beam Intermediate School?
W B Beam Intermediate School has 191 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Cherryville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at W B Beam Intermediate School?
The student-teacher ratio at W B Beam Intermediate School is 19.1:1, which is 21% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at W B Beam Intermediate School?
58.1% of students at W B Beam Intermediate School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of W B Beam Intermediate School?
The largest demographic group at W B Beam Intermediate School is White at 67.0% of enrollment, in Cherryville, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for W B Beam Intermediate School?
W B Beam Intermediate School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 W B Beam Intermediate School rank among public schools in Cherryville?
By Resource Investment Index, W B Beam Intermediate School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Cherryville, 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 Cherryville on the city page.
Is W B Beam Intermediate School a good school?
W B Beam Intermediate School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 Gaston County Schools?
Besides W B Beam Intermediate School, Gaston County Schools also operates Ashbrook High (1,386 students), Hunter Huss High (1,165 students), and Forestview High (1,133 students). See the Gaston 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.