Enrollment
562
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Spring Lake, NC
William T Brown Elementary
Federal NCES profile for William T Brown Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370001101097
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
William T Brown Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #5 of 7
- public schools in Spring Lake · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 99.5%
- free-lunch eligible
William T Brown Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, William T Brown Elementary ranks #5 of 7 public schools in Spring Lake, NC.
School address
District: Cumberland County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370001101097 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How William T Brown Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at William T Brown Elementary
William T Brown Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Spring Lake, North Carolina, enrolling 562 students.
At 14.8:1, 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 is high: 99.5% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 562 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 558 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #395, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 562 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 25.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Spring Lake's public schools, it stands alongside Overhills Elementary (866 students): William T Brown Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.8:1 vs 13.3:1).
Cumberland County Schools also operates Jack Britt High (1,940 students) and Pine Forest High (1,551 students) alongside William T Brown 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 William T Brown Elementary compares
William T Brown 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 | 14.8:1 | ▼ 6% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.5% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 562 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
562
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 46% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.9%
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
$12,412
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 562 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 31 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.5 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 63.2%
Hispanic or Latino 18.3%
White 8.5%
Two or More 6.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.1%
Asian 0.9%
Largest group: African American at 63.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.5, William T Brown 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 Cumberland County Schools, which includes William T Brown Elementary.
$12,412
Per student
+3%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.5%
State 57.7%
Federal 25.7%
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 William T Brown Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Britt High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pine Forest High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cape Fear High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South View High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gray's Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to William T Brown Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,940
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,551
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,515
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,461
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,458
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar other schools in Spring Lake
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~562 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on William T Brown Elementary's federal record.
- Compare William T Brown Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Cumberland 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 William T Brown Elementary
How many students attend William T Brown Elementary?
William T Brown Elementary has 562 students enrolled. It is a public school in Spring Lake, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at William T Brown Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at William T Brown Elementary is 14.8:1, which is 6% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 6% 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 William T Brown Elementary?
99.5% of students at William T Brown Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of William T Brown Elementary?
The largest demographic group at William T Brown Elementary is African American at 63.2% of enrollment, in Spring Lake, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for William T Brown Elementary?
William T Brown Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 William T Brown Elementary rank among public schools in Spring Lake?
By Resource Investment Index, William T Brown Elementary ranks #5 of 7 public schools in Spring Lake, 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 Spring Lake on the city page.
Is William T Brown Elementary a good school?
William T Brown Elementary earns 32/100 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 Cumberland County Schools?
Besides William T Brown Elementary, Cumberland County Schools also operates Jack Britt High (1,940 students), Pine Forest High (1,551 students), and Cape Fear High (1,515 students). See the Cumberland 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.