Enrollment
276
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Hickory, NC
W M Jenkins Elementary
Federal NCES profile for W M Jenkins Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370219000945
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
W M Jenkins Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Hickory · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.3:1
- students per teacher
- 50.2%
- free-lunch eligible
W M Jenkins Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, W M Jenkins Elementary ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Hickory, NC.
School address
District: Hickory City Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370219000945 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How W M Jenkins Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at W M Jenkins Elementary
W M Jenkins Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Hickory, North Carolina, enrolling 276 students.
At 15.3:1, 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 runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 50.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 276 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 214 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #89.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 276 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Hickory's elementary schools, it stands alongside Mountain View Elementary (708 students): W M Jenkins Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.3:1 vs 15.7:1).
Hickory City Schools also operates Hickory High (1,024 students) and Viewmont Elementary (509 students) alongside W M Jenkins 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 W M Jenkins Elementary compares
W M Jenkins 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 | 15.3:1 | ▼ 3% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.2% | ▼ 24% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 276 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.3:1
Leaner classes than 44% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
276
Bigger than 29% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
15.3:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 53% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
25.4%
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
$11,646
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 276 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 42 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.6 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
White 42.0%
Hispanic or Latino 21.4%
Two or More 17.4%
African American 12.7%
Asian 6.5%
Largest group: White at 42.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.7, W M Jenkins 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 Hickory City Schools, which includes W M Jenkins Elementary.
$11,646
Per student
-3%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.9%
State 61.5%
Federal 19.6%
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 W M Jenkins Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Viewmont Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northview Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Grandview Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Oakwood Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to W M Jenkins Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,024
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 509
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 481
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 347
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 336
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar elementary schools in Hickory
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~276 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on W M Jenkins Elementary's federal record.
- Compare W M Jenkins Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Hickory City 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 M Jenkins Elementary
How many students attend W M Jenkins Elementary?
W M Jenkins Elementary has 276 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Hickory, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at W M Jenkins Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at W M Jenkins Elementary is 15.3:1, which is 3% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 3% 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 W M Jenkins Elementary?
50.2% of students at W M Jenkins Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of W M Jenkins Elementary?
The largest demographic group at W M Jenkins Elementary is White at 42.0% of enrollment, in Hickory, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for W M Jenkins Elementary?
W M Jenkins Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 M Jenkins Elementary rank among elementary schools in Hickory?
By Resource Investment Index, W M Jenkins Elementary ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Hickory, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Hickory on the city page.
Is W M Jenkins Elementary a good school?
W M Jenkins Elementary earns 48/100 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 Hickory City Schools?
Besides W M Jenkins Elementary, Hickory City Schools also operates Hickory High (1,024 students), Viewmont Elementary (509 students), and Northview Middle (481 students). See the Hickory City 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.