Enrollment
209
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Burgaw, NC
West Pender Middle
Federal NCES profile for West Pender 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 370357001471
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 58
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Pender Middle earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #2 of 6
- public schools in Burgaw · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.9:1
- students per teacher
- 78.8%
- free-lunch eligible
West Pender Middle has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Pender Middle ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Burgaw, NC.
School address
District: Pender County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370357001471 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Pender Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Pender Middle
West Pender Middle is a high-poverty, small middle school in Burgaw, North Carolina, enrolling 209 students.
At 14.9:1, 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 above the state's typical profile, with 78.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 209 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 63 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #25.
Its student body is led by White (34%) and African American (32%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 209 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 51 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 209 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Burgaw's middle schools, it stands alongside Burgaw Middle (236 students): West Pender Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.9:1 vs 11.8:1).
Pender County Schools also operates Topsail High (1,945 students) and Surf City Elementary (857 students) alongside West Pender 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 West Pender Middle compares
West Pender 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 | 14.9:1 | ▼ 6% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.8% | ▲ 19% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 209 | top 88% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
209
Bigger than 20% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 48% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 52% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
34.4%
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
$11,305
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 209 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 34 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 24.4 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 34.4%
African American 32.1%
Hispanic or Latino 29.7%
Two or More 3.8%
Largest group: White at 34.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.9, West Pender Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pender County Schools, which includes West Pender Middle.
$11,305
Per student
-6%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.0%
State 56.8%
Federal 21.2%
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 West Pender Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topsail High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Surf City Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Topsail Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Surf City Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heide Trask High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Pender Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,945
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 857
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 837
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 752
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 732
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar middle schools in Burgaw
1 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 (~209 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Pender Middle's federal record.
- Compare West Pender Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Pender 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 West Pender Middle
How many students attend West Pender Middle?
West Pender Middle has 209 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Burgaw, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Pender Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at West Pender Middle is 14.9:1, which is 6% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 5% 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 West Pender Middle?
78.8% of students at West Pender Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Pender Middle?
The largest demographic group at West Pender Middle is White at 34.4% of enrollment, in Burgaw, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Pender Middle?
West Pender 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 West Pender Middle rank among public schools in Burgaw?
By Resource Investment Index, West Pender Middle ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Burgaw, 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 Burgaw on the city page.
Is West Pender Middle a good school?
West Pender 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 Pender County Schools?
Besides West Pender Middle, Pender County Schools also operates Topsail High (1,945 students), Surf City Elementary (857 students), and Topsail Middle (837 students). See the Pender 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.