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Public elementary school · Durham Public Schools · Durham, North Carolina

Bethesda Elementary

Bethesda Elementary rates 7.1, among the strongest elementary schools in Durham Public Schools, where the rated median is 6.1.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
7.1this school

7.1 on a one-to-ten scale; the Durham Public Schools median is 6.1.

#801 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina · Durham Public Schools: 31 elementary schools rated, median 6.1

The brief

A Durham Public Schools elementary school where students score 4 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 801 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina and 20 of 54 in Durham Public Schools.

Bethesda Elementary is listed in Durham Public Schools, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math45%17 points below the North Carolina average of 62%2026 NC
Reading47%9 points below the North Carolina average of 56%2026 NC
In 2026, 45% of students were proficient in math and 47% in reading, against North Carolina averages of 62% and 56%.2026 NC; 60 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
8.9
50% of the rating
Academics
4.9
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
5.9
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 40% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 34% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2026 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2026 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 27703; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Bethesda Elementary and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$86,953
Median home value
$340,500
Median rent
$1,469/mo
College educated
45.1%
Homeownership
65.2%
Poverty rate
10.1%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27703; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
41
Car-Dependent
Transit Score
28
Some Transit
Bike Score
24
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
4,102/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Durham. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Durham), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
99.5%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 8.9Compare →
  2. 8.4Compare →
  3. 7.6Compare →
  4. Bethesda Elementarythis school
    7.1
  5. 6.0Compare →
  6. 4.2Compare →
  7. 4.1Compare →
  8. Nc Virtual Academy3.6 mi · charter
    3.6Compare →
  9. Research Triangle Charter0.8 mi · charter
    3.3Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and three rate higher than Bethesda Elementary.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Bethesda Elementary serve?

Bethesda Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Bethesda Elementary?

Bethesda Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 577 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Bethesda Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Bethesda Elementary is 13.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Bethesda Elementary rank in NC?

Bethesda Elementary ranks #801 of 2,660 schools in NC.

What is Bethesda Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Bethesda Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.1 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Bethesda Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Bethesda Elementary has 40% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 34% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

Is Bethesda Elementary a charter school?

No, Bethesda Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Bethesda Elementary a Title I school?

No, Bethesda Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Bethesda Elementary?

99.5% of students at Bethesda Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
577
Student-teacher ratio
13.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
44
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large City
County
Durham County
Rank in district
#20 of 54
Schools in district
56
District spending per student
$15,239
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.7%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 27703)
62,994
Area average commute
24.3 min
Area median age
35.9

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, North Carolina Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.