Enrollment
730
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Cary, NC
Weatherstone Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Weatherstone Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370472001681
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Weatherstone Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #9 of 15
- schools in Cary · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 33.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Weatherstone Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Weatherstone Elementary ranks #9 of 15 schools in Cary, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472001681 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.0%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Weatherstone Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Weatherstone Elementary
Weatherstone Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Cary, North Carolina, enrolling 730 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 730 puts it in the larger 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.
Against 346 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #117.
Its student body is led by White (40%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 365 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.1% 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 Cary's public schools, it stands alongside Triangle Math and Science Academy (1,904 students): Weatherstone Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.3:1 vs 45.3:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside Weatherstone 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 Weatherstone Elementary compares
Weatherstone 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 | 14.3:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.0% | ▼ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 730 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
730
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 39% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
25.1%
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
$11,859
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 365 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 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 40.3%
Hispanic or Latino 25.2%
Asian 23.3%
African American 6.4%
Two or More 4.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 40.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.3, Weatherstone 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 Weatherstone 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 Weatherstone 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 | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Panther Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millbrook High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Weatherstone 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 Cary
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Triangle Math and Science Academy
Standard public school
1,904 students 45.3:1 students per teacher
Alston Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
917 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Hortons Creek Elementary
Standard public school
739 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Highcroft Elementary
Standard public school
698 students 14:1 students per teacher
Adams Elementary
Standard public school
655 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Farmington Woods Elementary
Standard public school
648 students 14.1:1 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 (~730 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Weatherstone Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Weatherstone 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 Weatherstone Elementary
How many students attend Weatherstone Elementary?
Weatherstone Elementary has 730 students enrolled. It is a public school in Cary, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Weatherstone Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Weatherstone Elementary is 14.3:1, which is 9% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 9% 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 Weatherstone Elementary?
33.0% of students at Weatherstone Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Weatherstone Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Weatherstone Elementary is White at 40.3% of enrollment, in Cary, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Weatherstone Elementary?
Weatherstone Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Weatherstone Elementary rank among schools in Cary?
By Resource Investment Index, Weatherstone Elementary ranks #9 of 15 schools in Cary, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Cary on the city page.
Is Weatherstone Elementary a good school?
Weatherstone Elementary earns 44/100 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 Weatherstone 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.