Enrollment
700
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lillington, NC
Western Harnett Middle
Federal NCES profile for Western Harnett Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370201002296
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Western Harnett Middle earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #4 of 6
- public schools in Lillington · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 50.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Western Harnett Middle has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Western Harnett Middle ranks #4 of 6 public schools in Lillington, NC.
School address
District: Harnett County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370201002296 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.7%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Western Harnett Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Western Harnett Middle
Western Harnett Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Lillington, North Carolina, enrolling 700 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 50.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 700 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 479 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #284.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 350 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 179 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 700 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Harnett County Schools also operates Overhills High (1,981 students) and Harnett Central High (1,522 students) alongside Western Harnett 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 Western Harnett Middle compares
Western Harnett 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 | 14.3:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.7% | ▼ 23% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 700 | top 25% | - | - |
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.
700
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
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
47.6%
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
$11,026
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 350 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
99
in-school suspensions + 80 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
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 47.1%
Hispanic or Latino 25.1%
African American 18.3%
Two or More 8.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 47.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.5, Western Harnett 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 Harnett County Schools, which includes Western Harnett Middle.
$11,026
Per student
-8%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.4%
State 62.0%
Federal 24.6%
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 Western Harnett Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overhills High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harnett Central High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Western Harnett High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Triton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Benhaven Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Western Harnett Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,981
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,522
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,324
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,274
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,065
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
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 (~700 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Western Harnett Middle's federal record.
- Compare Western Harnett Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Harnett 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 Western Harnett Middle
How many students attend Western Harnett Middle?
Western Harnett Middle has 700 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lillington, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Western Harnett Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Western Harnett Middle 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 Western Harnett Middle?
50.7% of students at Western Harnett Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Western Harnett Middle?
The largest demographic group at Western Harnett Middle is White at 47.1% of enrollment, in Lillington, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Western Harnett Middle?
Western Harnett Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 Western Harnett Middle rank among public schools in Lillington?
By Resource Investment Index, Western Harnett Middle ranks #4 of 6 public schools in Lillington, 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 Lillington on the city page.
Is Western Harnett Middle a good school?
Western Harnett Middle earns 36/100 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 Harnett County Schools?
Besides Western Harnett Middle, Harnett County Schools also operates Overhills High (1,981 students), Harnett Central High (1,522 students), and Western Harnett High (1,324 students). See the Harnett 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.