Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 20 schools in district

Bonlee School

152 Bonlee School Road, Bear Creek, NC 27207Chatham County Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–08Non-Charter
292
Students
Total enrolled
$15,369
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 7% vs nat'l
13.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 11% vs nat'l
40/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 20% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 292 students in grades KG–08 in Bear Creek, North Carolina.
Near-average funding
District spends $15,369 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 40th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Bonlee School is a mid-sized elementary in Bear Creek, North Carolina, serving grades KG–08 with 292 students. The district invests $15,369 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 61% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Bonlee School

292
Total Students
13.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
61%
Free Lunch
21
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution156 male · 136 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility61%
National avg 52% · 178 students
Student Composition
68%
17%
11%
Asian1%
White68%
Hispanic / Latino17%
Black11%
Multiracial3%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370075000305

Academic Outcomes at Bonlee School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
40
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 40th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 28th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 27207

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$15,369Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$15,369
State avg
$13,042
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,762
Student Support$2,920
Administration$1,844
Operations$2,305
Other$1,537
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $15,369 spent per student, an estimated $6,809 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
47%
38%
State government
46.9%
Local (property tax)
38.4%
Federal programs
14.8%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 13.7:1 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.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Chatham Grove ElementarySiler City ElementaryNorth Chatham ElementaryPittsboro Elementary
+6 more
↓
Middle
Margaret B. Pollard MiddleChatham MiddleHorton Middle
↓
High School
Northwood HighJordan Matthews HighChatham Central HighChatham School of Science & Engineering
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 08
Location—
CountyChatham County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictChatham County Schools →
Phone: (919)837-5316
NCES ID: 370075000305
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Bear Creek seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Chatham County Schools
High
Northwood High
940 students · 09–12
29% FRL
High
Jordan Matthews High
913 students · 09–12
76% FRL
Mid
Margaret B. Pollard Middle
768 students · 06–08
20% FRL
Other
Seaforth High
732 students · 09–11
24% FRL
Elem
Chatham Grove Elementary
677 students · PK–05
18% FRL
Elem
Siler City Elementary
636 students · PK–05
86% FRL
Elem
North Chatham Elementary
616 students · PK–05
● 39 opp32% FRL
Mid
Chatham Middle
556 students · 06–08
89% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
152 Bonlee School Road, Bear Creek, NC 27207
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.