Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 20 schools in district

Smith Middle

9201 Seawell School Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27516Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0608Non-Charter
768
Students
Total enrolled
$17,566
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
22% vs nat'l
12.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
16% vs nat'l
Large public school
Serves 768 students in grades 06–08 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
22% above average funding
District spends $17,566 per pupil, 22% more than the national average of $14,347.
12.9 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is well below the national average — smaller classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

Smith Middle is a large middle in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, serving grades 06–08 with 768 students. The district invests $17,566 per student — 22% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. With only 24% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community.

Student Body & Demographics at Smith Middle

768
Total Students
12.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
24%
Free Lunch
60
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (0608) are served by this school
Gender Distribution421 male · 347 female
55%
45%
Male 55%Female 45%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility24%
National avg 52% · 184 students
Student Composition
20%
46%
15%
11%
8%
Asian20%
White46%
Hispanic / Latino15%
Black11%
Multiracial8%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370072002600

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$17,566Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$17,566
State avg
$13,042
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,729
Student Support$3,338
Administration$2,108
Operations$2,635
Other$1,757
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $17,566 spent per student, an estimated $7,782 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
43%
46%
State government
43.3%
Local (property tax)
46.2%
Federal programs
10.5%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $17,566/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location
CountyOrange County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (919)918-2145
NCES ID: 370072002600
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Chapel Hill seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

Location
9201 Seawell School Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.