Skip to main content

Needs Improvement

#2576 of 2,648 schools in NC

Dabney Elementary

Elementary School · Vance County Schools · Henderson, NC

A Vance County Schools elementary school where students score 20 points below what's typical for similar communities.

150 Lanning Road, Henderson, NC 27537

  • Math 24% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 34% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 18.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.7Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.47 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics2.5Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency22.8% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency32.7% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-41 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-13.9 pts
Overall Proficiency28% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-19.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile8th
Resources & Environment4.4Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio18.7:1
District spending per student$14,592
Chronic Absenteeism31.4%

Students at Dabney Elementary score 28% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 47%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency24%(2025 NC)
School
State
59%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency34%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 15 points since 2020, reaching 29% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
76%
ELA
54%
2010
Math
76%
ELA
51%
2011
Math
73%
ELA
63%
2012
Math
37%
ELA
27%
2013
Math
32%
ELA
32%
2014
Math
37%
ELA
32%
2015
Math
42%
ELA
35%
2016
Math
45%
ELA
27%
2017
Math
45%
ELA
30%
2018
Math
29%
ELA
29%
2019
Math
29%
ELA
29%
2020*
Math
12%
ELA
17%
2021*
Math
12%
ELA
17%
2022
Math
32%
ELA
29%
2025
Math
24%
ELA
34%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 37% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 34% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 36 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

96.1%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Dabney Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 3Car-Dependent
  • Bike 19Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High7,613/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Henderson), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$52,345

Median home value

$150,800

Median rent

$915/mo

College educated

19.3%

Homeownership

69%

Poverty rate

14.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27537; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Vance Charter SchoolCharter · enrollment unverified7.2K–122.9 mi954Compare →
Kerr-vance AcademyPrivate · tuition7.9privatePK–123.1 mi146Compare →
E M Rollins ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.4PK–53.6 mi303Compare →
Crossroads Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition5.9privatePK–124.1 mi241Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

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

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Vance County Schools

Schools in district
16
Rank in district
#14 of 16
District spending per student
$14,592NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
26.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Dabney Elementary is listed in Vance County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Dabney Elementary

Dabney Elementary is a public elementary school in Henderson, NC, part of Vance County Schools, serving approximately 411 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 18.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.0 out of 10 and ranks #2,576 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 37% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 34% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Dabney Elementary

What grades does Dabney Elementary serve?

Dabney Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Dabney Elementary?

Dabney Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 411 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Dabney Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Dabney Elementary is 18.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Dabney Elementary rank in NC?

Dabney Elementary ranks #2,576 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Dabney Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Dabney Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.0 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 Dabney Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Dabney Elementary has 37% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 34% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Dabney Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Dabney Elementary a Title I school?

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

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

96.1% of students at Dabney 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 factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
411
Student-Teacher Ratio
18.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
22
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Vance County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
31.4%
Area population (ZIP 27537)
23,795
Area average commute
28 min
Area median age
41.1
About this school's data

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

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 · 2025 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 · 2025 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)
NCES EdFacts · 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 27537; 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, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

Get school insights in your inbox

New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.