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Average

#1260 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 48% in state

Helena Elementary

Elementary School · Person County Schools · Timberlake, NC

A Person County Schools elementary school where students score 17 points above what's typical for similar communities.

355 Helena Moriah Rd, Timberlake, NC 27583

  • Math 71% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 56% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.4Below Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics8.5Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency70.5% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency55.9% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+6.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+9.3 pts
Overall Proficiency63% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+16.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile77th
Resources & Environment8.6Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.4:1
District spending per student$13,682
Chronic Absenteeism16.9%

Students at Helena Elementary score 63% 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 Proficiency71%(2025 NC)
School
State
59%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency56%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 12 points since 2020, reaching 63% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
93%
ELA
80%
2010
Math
93%
ELA
85%
2011
Math
90%
ELA
84%
2012
Math
59%
ELA
50%
2013
Math
69%
ELA
57%
2014
Math
70%
ELA
61%
2015
Math
74%
ELA
68%
2016
Math
69%
ELA
64%
2017
Math
66%
ELA
63%
2018
Math
46%
ELA
53%
2019
Math
46%
ELA
53%
2020*
Math
50%
ELA
53%
2021*
Math
50%
ELA
53%
2022
Math
57%
ELA
52%
2025
Math
71%
ELA
56%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 68% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 61% (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

99.4%

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 Helena 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 16Car-Dependent
  • Bike 23Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Elevated756/100K

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

$76,659

Median home value

$253,800

Median rent

$817/mo

College educated

23.1%

Homeownership

86.8%

Poverty rate

12.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27583; 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 in Person County Schools

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
North End ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.0K–5Not available160Compare →
Oak Lane ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.1K–5Not available223Compare →
Pcs Virtual AcademyEnrollment path unverified6.9PK–12Not available62Compare →
South ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.1PK–5Not available434Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Person County Schools

Schools in district
12
Rank in district
#8 of 12
District spending per student
$13,682NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Helena Elementary

Helena Elementary is a public elementary school in Timberlake, NC, part of Person County Schools, serving approximately 522 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.5 out of 10 and ranks #1,260 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 68% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 61% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Helena Elementary

What grades does Helena Elementary serve?

Helena Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Helena Elementary?

Helena Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 522 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Helena Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Helena Elementary is 15.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Helena Elementary rank in NC?

Helena Elementary ranks #1,260 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Helena Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Helena Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.5 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 Helena Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Helena Elementary has 68% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 61% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Helena Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Helena Elementary a Title I school?

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

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

99.4% of students at Helena 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
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
522
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
34
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Person County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
16.9%
Area population (ZIP 27583)
6,633
Area average commute
29.5 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 27583; 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

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