Enrollment
330
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lenoir, NC
Whitnel Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Whitnel Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370058000243
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 11
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Whitnel Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #2 of 7
- schools in Lenoir · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 99.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Whitnel Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Whitnel Elementary ranks #2 of 7 schools in Lenoir, NC.
School address
District: Caldwell County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370058000243 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.0%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Whitnel Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Whitnel Elementary
Whitnel Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Lenoir, North Carolina, enrolling 330 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 99.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 330 puts it in the smaller 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 399 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #186.
Its student body is led by White (59%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 330 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 26.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Lenoir's public schools, it stands alongside Gamewell Elementary (459 students): Whitnel Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.8:1 vs 14.3:1).
Caldwell County Schools also operates South Caldwell High (1,272 students) and Hibriten High (818 students) alongside Whitnel 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 Whitnel Elementary compares
Whitnel 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 | 13.8:1 | ▼ 13% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.0% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 330 | top 74% | - | - |
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.
330
Bigger than 37% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
35.8%
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
$11,644
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 330 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
31
in-school suspensions + 25 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.0 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 59.4%
Hispanic or Latino 23.9%
African American 8.2%
Two or More 7.6%
Asian 0.9%
Largest group: White at 59.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.7, Whitnel Elementary is about as mixed as the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Caldwell County Schools, which includes Whitnel Elementary.
$11,644
Per student
-3%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.5%
State 57.4%
Federal 26.1%
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 Whitnel Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Caldwell High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hibriten High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hudson Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Granite Falls Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Caldwell High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Whitnel Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,272
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 818
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 665
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 647
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar other schools in Lenoir
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Gamewell Elementary
Standard public school
459 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Davenport a+ School
Standard public school
429 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Lower Creek Elementary
Standard public school
396 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Valmead Elementary
Standard public school
305 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Happy Valley Elementary
Standard public school
234 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Kings Creek Elementary
Standard public school
153 students 11.8:1 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 (~330 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Whitnel Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Whitnel Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Caldwell 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 Whitnel Elementary
How many students attend Whitnel Elementary?
Whitnel Elementary has 330 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lenoir, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Whitnel Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Whitnel Elementary 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 Whitnel Elementary?
99.0% of students at Whitnel Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Whitnel Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Whitnel Elementary is White at 59.4% of enrollment, in Lenoir, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Whitnel Elementary?
Whitnel Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Whitnel Elementary rank among schools in Lenoir?
By Resource Investment Index, Whitnel Elementary ranks #2 of 7 schools in Lenoir, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lenoir on the city page.
Is Whitnel Elementary a good school?
Whitnel Elementary earns 40/100 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 Caldwell County Schools?
Besides Whitnel Elementary, Caldwell County Schools also operates South Caldwell High (1,272 students), Hibriten High (818 students), and Hudson Elementary (665 students). See the Caldwell 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.