Skip to main content

Very Good

#466 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 18% in state

Glen Arden Elementary

Elementary School · Buncombe County Schools · Arden, NC

A Buncombe County Schools elementary school where students score 24 points above what's typical for similar communities.

50 Pinehurst Circle, Arden, NC 28704

  • Math 73% vs NC 60% (2025)
  • Reading 69% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 13.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.6Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.44 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics9.1Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency72.8% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency68.3% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+21.7 pts
Overall Proficiency71% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+24.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile86th
Resources & Environment9.6Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.1:1
District spending per student$13,585
Chronic Absenteeism18.5%

Students at Glen Arden Elementary score 71% 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 Proficiency73%(2025 NC)
School
State
60%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency69%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 14 points since 2020, reaching 71% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
92%
ELA
84%
2010
Math
88%
ELA
80%
2011
Math
93%
ELA
87%
2012
Math
72%
ELA
72%
2013
Math
72%
ELA
67%
2014
Math
67%
ELA
72%
2015
Math
56%
ELA
67%
2016
Math
62%
ELA
56%
2017
Math
70%
ELA
66%
2018
Math
67%
ELA
62%
2019
Math
67%
ELA
62%
2020*
Math
54%
ELA
59%
2021*
Math
54%
ELA
59%
2022
Math
71%
ELA
60%
2025
Math
73%
ELA
69%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 71% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 68% (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 34 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

99.4%

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 Glen Arden 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 16Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Average518/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

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

Median income

$79,088

Median home value

$343,600

Median rent

$1,369/mo

College educated

40.9%

Homeownership

59.6%

Poverty rate

5.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28704; 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
Veritas Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition7.3privatePK–122.4 mi336Compare →
Trinity of Fairview AcademyPrivate · tuition6.8privateK–82.6 mi53Compare →
Estes ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.8PK–42.7 mi790Compare →
FernleafCharter · enrollment unverified5.6K–103.1 mi666Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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.

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

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

Buncombe County Schools

Schools in district
45
Rank in district
#9 of 45
District spending per student
$13,585NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Glen Arden Elementary is listed in Buncombe County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Glen Arden Elementary

Glen Arden Elementary is a public elementary school in Arden, NC, part of Buncombe County Schools, serving approximately 471 students in grades Pre-K-4th with a 13.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.9 out of 10 and ranks #466 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 71% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 68% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Glen Arden Elementary

What grades does Glen Arden Elementary serve?

Glen Arden Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 4th.

How many students attend Glen Arden Elementary?

Glen Arden Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 471 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Glen Arden Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Glen Arden 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 Glen Arden Elementary rank in NC?

Glen Arden Elementary ranks #466 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Glen Arden Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Glen Arden Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.9 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 Glen Arden Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Glen Arden Elementary has 71% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 68% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Glen Arden Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Glen Arden Elementary a Title I school?

No, Glen Arden Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

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

99.4% of students at Glen Arden 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 – 4th
Enrollment
471
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
36
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Buncombe County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
18.5%
Area population (ZIP 28704)
23,516
Area average commute
20.8 min
Area median age
40
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 28704; 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.