Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 193 schools in district

Alston Ridge Elementary

11555 Green Level Church Rd., Cary, NC 27519Wake County Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
1,047
Students
Total enrolled
$14,074
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
14.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
38/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 23% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,047 students in grades PK–05 in Cary, North Carolina.
Near-average funding
District spends $14,074 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 38th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Alston Ridge Elementary is a very large elementary in Cary, North Carolina, serving grades PK–05 with 1,047 students. The district invests $14,074 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 13% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 38/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Alston Ridge Elementary

1,047
Total Students
14.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
13%
Free Lunch
70
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution503 male · 544 female
48%
52%
Male 48%Female 52%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility13%
National avg 52% · 132 students
Student Composition
56%
19%
8%
12%
Asian56%
White19%
Hispanic / Latino8%
Black12%
Multiracial5%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370472003214

Academic Outcomes at Alston Ridge Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
38
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 38th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 21th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 27519

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$14,074Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$14,074
State avg
$13,042
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,193
Student Support$2,674
Administration$1,689
Operations$2,111
Other$1,407
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $14,074 spent per student, an estimated $6,235 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
54%
29%
State government
54.5%
Local (property tax)
28.9%
Federal programs
16.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 13% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • 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.
K–12 Pathway in District
Middle
Mills Park MiddleAlston Ridge MiddleApex Friendship MiddleEast Garner Middle
+1 more
↓
High School
Apex Friendship HighLeesville Road HighEnloe HighApex High
+20 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyWake County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictWake County Schools →
Phone: (919)544-2474
NCES ID: 370472003214
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Cary seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Wake County Schools
High
Apex Friendship High
2,772 students · 09–12
10% FRL
High
Leesville Road High
2,613 students · 09–12
● 55 opp22% FRL
High
Enloe High
2,502 students · 09–12
● 39 opp27% FRL
High
Apex High
2,500 students · 09–12
20% FRL
High
Panther Creek High
2,435 students · 09–12
● 38 opp15% FRL
High
Millbrook High
2,421 students · 09–12
● 51 opp36% FRL
High
Rolesville High
2,373 students · 09–12
47% FRL
High
Cary High
2,145 students · 09–12
● 50 opp39% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
11555 Green Level Church Rd., Cary, NC 27519
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.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
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.