Enrollment
725
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Wilson, NC
Wilson Preparatory Academy
Federal NCES profile for Wilson Preparatory Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 17/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370037903323Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 11
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wilson Preparatory Academy earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of North Carolina schools.
- #7 of 7
- schools in Wilson · Resource Index
- 17
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.7:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 59.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Wilson Preparatory Academy has class sizes larger than 78% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Wilson Preparatory Academy ranks #7 of 7 schools in Wilson, NC.
School address
District: Wilson Preparatory Academy · North Carolina
NCES ID 370037903323 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Wilson Preparatory Academy compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Wilson Preparatory Academy
Wilson Preparatory Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Wilson, North Carolina, enrolling 725 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.7:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 59.2% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 725 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 435 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #432, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (78%) and Hispanic or Latino (9%) (diversity index 37/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 725 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Wilson Preparatory Academy spends $6,733 per pupil, 44% below the North Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Wilson's public schools, it stands alongside Sallie B Howard School (1,228 students): Wilson Preparatory Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.7:1 vs 16.6:1).
Wilson Preparatory Academy is a single-school charter district, so Wilson Preparatory Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Wilson Preparatory Academy compares
Wilson Preparatory Academy 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 | 17.7:1 | ▲ 12% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.2% | ▼ 10% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 725 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.7:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
725
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% 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
17.7:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 78% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
35.7%
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
$6,733
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 725 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
31
in-school suspensions + 91 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.8 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 78.1%
Hispanic or Latino 9.0%
Two or More 6.8%
White 5.4%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 78.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.4, Wilson Preparatory Academy is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 8
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wilson Preparatory Academy, which includes Wilson Preparatory Academy.
$6,733
Per student
-44%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-59%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.8%
State 74.9%
Federal 8.3%
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.
Similar other schools in Wilson
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Sallie B Howard School
Standard public school
1,228 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
John W Jones Elementary
Standard public school
601 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Margaret Hearne Elementary
Standard public school
423 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Milton M Daniels Learning Center
Alternative education program
62 students 8.9:1 students per teacher
Wilson Academy of Virtual Education
Standard public school
44 students 44:1 students per teacher
Eastern Nc School for the Deaf
Special-education school
41 students 2:1 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 (~725 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Wilson Preparatory Academy's federal record.
- Compare Wilson Preparatory Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Wilson Preparatory Academy'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 Wilson Preparatory Academy
How many students attend Wilson Preparatory Academy?
Wilson Preparatory Academy has 725 students enrolled. It is a public school in Wilson, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wilson Preparatory Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Wilson Preparatory Academy is 17.7:1, which is 12% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Wilson Preparatory Academy?
59.2% of students at Wilson Preparatory Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Wilson Preparatory Academy?
The largest demographic group at Wilson Preparatory Academy is African American at 78.1% of enrollment, in Wilson, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wilson Preparatory Academy?
Wilson Preparatory Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Wilson Preparatory Academy rank among schools in Wilson?
By Resource Investment Index, Wilson Preparatory Academy ranks #7 of 7 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 schools in Wilson on the city page.
Is Wilson Preparatory Academy a good school?
Wilson Preparatory Academy earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% 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 Preparatory Academy?
None; Wilson Preparatory Academy is a single-school charter district, and Wilson Preparatory Academy is its only campus.
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.