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#1586 of 2,648 schools in NC

Ira B Jones Elementary

Elementary School · Asheville City Schools · Asheville, NC

An Asheville City Schools elementary school where students score 12 points below what's typical for similar communities.

544 Kimberly Avenue, Asheville, NC 28804

  • Math 47% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 52% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 13:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.8Below Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.9 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.0Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency46.2% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency52% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-17.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+5.4 pts
Overall Proficiency49% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)61% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-12.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile32th
Resources & Environment9.3Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13:1
District spending per student$16,507
Chronic Absenteeism34.2%

Students at Ira B Jones Elementary score 49% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 61%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency47%(2025 NC)
School
State
59%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency52%(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 50% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
77%
ELA
67%
2010
Math
77%
ELA
67%
2011
Math
82%
ELA
77%
2012
Math
62%
ELA
57%
2013
Math
57%
ELA
57%
2014
Math
63%
ELA
56%
2015
Math
56%
ELA
60%
2016
Math
58%
ELA
59%
2017
Math
58%
ELA
53%
2018
Math
50%
ELA
61%
2019
Math
50%
ELA
61%
2020*
Math
27%
ELA
42%
2021*
Math
27%
ELA
42%
2022
Math
48%
ELA
48%
2025
Math
47%
ELA
52%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 54% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 57% (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

51.5%

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 Ira B Jones 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 45Car-Dependent
  • Transit 26Some Transit
  • Bike 49Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,723/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Asheville), 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

$79,709

Median home value

$528,500

Median rent

$1,399/mo

College educated

59.6%

Homeownership

68.7%

Poverty rate

10.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28804; 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
Asheville Catholic SchoolPrivate · tuition7.9privateK–80.1 mi180Compare →
Claxton ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.5K–51.6 mi388Compare →
Hawthorn Montessori SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot ratedPK–K1.6 mi9Compare →
Julia Street Montessori SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot ratedPK–K1.6 mi6Compare →

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.

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

Asheville City Schools

Schools in district
9
Rank in district
#9 of 9
District spending per student
$16,507NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
13.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Ira B Jones Elementary is listed in Asheville City Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Ira B Jones Elementary

Ira B Jones Elementary is a public elementary school in Asheville, NC, part of Asheville City Schools, serving approximately 377 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 13:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.8 out of 10 and ranks #1,586 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 54% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Ira B Jones Elementary

What grades does Ira B Jones Elementary serve?

Ira B Jones Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Ira B Jones Elementary?

Ira B Jones Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 377 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Ira B Jones Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Ira B Jones Elementary is 13:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Ira B Jones Elementary rank in NC?

Ira B Jones Elementary ranks #1,586 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Ira B Jones Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Ira B Jones Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.8 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 Ira B Jones Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Ira B Jones Elementary has 54% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Ira B Jones Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Ira B Jones Elementary a Title I school?

No, Ira B Jones Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Ira B Jones Elementary?

51.5% of students at Ira B Jones 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
377
Student-Teacher Ratio
13:1
Teachers (FTE)
29
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Buncombe County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
34.2%
Area population (ZIP 28804)
25,141
Area average commute
18.6 min
Area median age
44.2
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 28804; 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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