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#1987 of 2,648 schools in NC

Dudley Shoals Elementary

Elementary School · Caldwell County Schools · Granite Falls, NC

A Caldwell County Schools elementary school where students score 6 points above what's typical for similar communities.

1500 Dudley Shoals Road, Granite Falls, NC 28630

  • Math 57% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 49% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 14.4:1 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-2.46 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics7.0Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency56.9% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency49% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-6.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+2.4 pts
Overall Proficiency53% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+6.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile56th
Resources & Environment7.5Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.4:1
District spending per student$12,066
Chronic Absenteeism24.3%

Students at Dudley Shoals Elementary score 53% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 46%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency57%(2025 NC)
School
State
59%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency49%(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 53% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
85%
ELA
73%
2010
Math
90%
ELA
83%
2011
Math
88%
ELA
79%
2012
Math
41%
ELA
43%
2013
Math
41%
ELA
48%
2014
Math
47%
ELA
51%
2015
Math
51%
ELA
49%
2016
Math
51%
ELA
47%
2017
Math
50%
ELA
42%
2018
Math
34%
ELA
36%
2019
Math
34%
ELA
36%
2020*
Math
35%
ELA
41%
2021*
Math
35%
ELA
41%
2022
Math
33%
ELA
40%
2025
Math
57%
ELA
49%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 52% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 50% (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

99.3%

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 Dudley Shoals 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 4Car-Dependent
  • Bike 11Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,178/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Granite Falls), 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

$65,713

Median home value

$197,800

Median rent

$808/mo

College educated

18.2%

Homeownership

77.4%

Poverty rate

11.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28630; 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
Oak Hill Charter SchoolCharter · enrollment unverified2.8K–83.5 mi207Compare →
Granite Falls ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.8PK–54.1 mi593Compare →
Bethlehem ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.8PK–54.7 mi452Compare →
Baton ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.0PK–5Not available347Compare →

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.

Caldwell County Schools

Schools in district
25
Rank in district
#13 of 23
District spending per student
$12,066NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
16.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Dudley Shoals Elementary is listed in Caldwell County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Dudley Shoals Elementary

Dudley Shoals Elementary is a public elementary school in Granite Falls, NC, part of Caldwell County Schools, serving approximately 432 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.0 out of 10 and ranks #1,987 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 52% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Dudley Shoals Elementary

What grades does Dudley Shoals Elementary serve?

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

How many students attend Dudley Shoals Elementary?

Dudley Shoals Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 432 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Dudley Shoals Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Dudley Shoals Elementary is 14.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Dudley Shoals Elementary rank in NC?

Dudley Shoals Elementary ranks #1,987 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Dudley Shoals Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Dudley Shoals Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.0 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 Dudley Shoals Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Dudley Shoals Elementary has 52% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Dudley Shoals Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Dudley Shoals Elementary a Title I school?

No, Dudley Shoals Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

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

99.3% of students at Dudley Shoals 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
432
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
30
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Caldwell County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
24.3%
Area population (ZIP 28630)
20,400
Area average commute
26.3 min
Area median age
46.3
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 28630; 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

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