Enrollment
441
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Morganton, NC
Walter R Johnson Middle
Federal NCES profile for Walter R Johnson Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370048002662
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 71
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Walter R Johnson Middle earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Morganton · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 82.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Walter R Johnson Middle has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Walter R Johnson Middle ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Morganton, NC.
School address
District: Burke County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370048002662 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Walter R Johnson Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Walter R Johnson Middle
Walter R Johnson Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Morganton, North Carolina, enrolling 441 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 82.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 441 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 175 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #28.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (64%) and White (21%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 147 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 166 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 441 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Morganton's middle schools, it stands alongside Liberty Middle (453 students): Walter R Johnson Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.8:1 vs 16.2:1).
Burke County Schools also operates Freedom High (1,299 students) and East Burke High (874 students) alongside Walter R Johnson Middle.
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 Walter R Johnson Middle compares
Walter R Johnson Middle 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 | 13.8:1 | ▼ 13% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.2% | ▲ 25% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 441 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
441
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
82.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% 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
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 32% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 68% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
40.1%
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
$11,845
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 147 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
77
in-school suspensions + 89 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 37.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 64.4%
White 21.3%
Two or More 5.9%
African American 5.4%
Asian 2.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 64.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.3, Walter R Johnson Middle is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Burke County Schools, which includes Walter R Johnson Middle.
$11,845
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 15.2%
State 61.7%
Federal 23.1%
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 Walter R Johnson Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Burke High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Robert L. Patton High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jimmy C Draughn High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Walter R Johnson Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,299
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 874
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 762
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 756
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar middle schools in Morganton
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~441 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Walter R Johnson Middle's federal record.
- Compare Walter R Johnson Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Burke 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 Walter R Johnson Middle
How many students attend Walter R Johnson Middle?
Walter R Johnson Middle has 441 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Morganton, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Walter R Johnson Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Walter R Johnson Middle is 13.8:1, which is 13% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 12% 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 Walter R Johnson Middle?
82.2% of students at Walter R Johnson Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Walter R Johnson Middle?
The largest demographic group at Walter R Johnson Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 64.4% of enrollment, in Morganton, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Walter R Johnson Middle?
Walter R Johnson Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Walter R Johnson Middle rank among middle schools in Morganton?
By Resource Investment Index, Walter R Johnson Middle ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Morganton, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Morganton on the city page.
Is Walter R Johnson Middle a good school?
Walter R Johnson Middle earns 46/100 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 Burke County Schools?
Besides Walter R Johnson Middle, Burke County Schools also operates Freedom High (1,299 students), East Burke High (874 students), and Mountain View Elementary (762 students). See the Burke 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.