The only school district in Richmond County had rising enrollment in the 2023-24 school year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
There were 6,412 students in Richmond County Schools, 0.1% higher than the year before.
The enrollment numbers in Richmond County was steady with the state’s trend of increasing enrollment.
Richmond County Schools has a main office in Hamlet and is the only school district within Richmond County.
North Carolina’s student-teacher ratio is roughly 15.4 students per teacher, aligning with the national average. However, rising teacher turnover threatens to push class sizes higher, making it harder for students to get individualized attention.
If vacancies continue to grow, schools may struggle to maintain this ratio, impacting the quality of instruction. Districts in lower-funded areas face the biggest challenges, as limited budgets make it harder to attract and retain teachers.
| School | Total Enrollment in 2023-24 | Total Enrollment in 2022-23 | Total % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond Senior High School | 1,326 | 1,230 | 7.8% |
| Rockingham Middle School | 583 | 605 | -3.6% |
| Richmond 9th Grade Academy | 479 | 490 | -2.2% |
| East Rockingham Elementary School | 470 | 506 | -7.1% |
| Fairview Heights Elementary School | 453 | 468 | -3.2% |
| L. J. Bell Elementary School | 452 | 464 | -2.6% |
| Hamlet Middle School | 406 | 419 | -3.1% |
| Washington Street Elementary School | 392 | 401 | -2.2% |
| Mineral Springs Elementary School | 378 | 350 | 8% |
| Monroe Avenue Elementary School | 346 | 359 | -3.6% |
| West Rockingham Elementary School | 289 | 254 | 13.8% |
| Richmond Early College High | 287 | 291 | -1.4% |
| Cordova Middle School | 256 | 263 | -2.7% |
| Ellerbe Middle School | 204 | 213 | -4.2% |
| Ashley Chapel Educational Center | 91 | 95 | -4.2% |
