Enrollment
383
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Wilson, NC
Wells Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Wells Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370502002011
👥 S:T ratio 19
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wells Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of North Carolina schools.
- #5 of 6
- elementary schools in Wilson · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.2:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 90.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Wells Elementary has class sizes larger than 90% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Wells Elementary ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Wilson, NC.
School address
District: Wilson County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370502002011 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.2:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
90.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Wells Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Wells Elementary
Wells Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Wilson, North Carolina, enrolling 383 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.2:1 is larger than about 90% of North Carolina schools and 28% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 90.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 383 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 525 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #354.
Its student body is led by African American (59%) and White (18%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 383 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 20.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 90 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 383 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Wilson's elementary schools, it stands alongside Rock Ridge Elementary (476 students): Wells Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.2:1 vs 17.6:1).
Wilson County Schools also operates James Hunt High (1,115 students) and Fike High (1,028 students) alongside Wells 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 Wells Elementary compares
Wells 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 | 20.2:1 | ▲ 28% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 90.1% | ▲ 37% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 383 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.2:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
383
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
90.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% 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
20.2:1
students per teacher
- 28% above state mean
Top 90% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
30.5%
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
$12,063
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 383 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
38
in-school suspensions + 52 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.5 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
African American 59.3%
White 18.0%
Hispanic or Latino 15.1%
Two or More 5.0%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: African American at 59.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.0, Wells 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 Wilson County Schools, which includes Wells Elementary.
$12,063
Per student
+0%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.1%
State 58.4%
Federal 20.5%
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 Wells Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Hunt High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fike High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Forest Hills Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Beddingfield High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John W Jones Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Wells Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,115
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,028
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 654
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 653
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 601
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools in Wilson
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Rock Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
476 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
New Hope Elementary
Standard public school
460 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Vinson-Bynum Elementary
Standard public school
458 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Vick Elementary
Standard public school
359 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
B O Barnes Elementary
Standard public school
274 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
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 (~383 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Wells Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Wells Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Wilson 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 Wells Elementary
How many students attend Wells Elementary?
Wells Elementary has 383 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Wilson, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wells Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Wells Elementary is 20.2:1, which is 28% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 29% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Wells Elementary?
90.1% of students at Wells Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Wells Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Wells Elementary is African American at 59.3% of enrollment, in Wilson, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wells Elementary?
Wells Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Wells Elementary rank among elementary schools in Wilson?
By Resource Investment Index, Wells Elementary ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Wilson, 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 Wilson on the city page.
Is Wells Elementary a good school?
Wells Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% 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 Wilson County Schools?
Besides Wells Elementary, Wilson County Schools also operates James Hunt High (1,115 students), Fike High (1,028 students), and Forest Hills Middle (654 students). See the Wilson 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.