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Below Average

#2057 of 2,648 schools in NC

J C Sawyer Elementary

Elementary School · Elizabeth City-pasquotank Public Schools · Elizabeth City, NC

An Elizabeth City-pasquotank Public Schools elementary school serving grades Kindergarten – 5th.

1007 Park St, Elizabeth City, NC 27909

  • Math 56% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 44% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.1Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.34 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics6.2Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency56.2% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency41.6% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-7.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-5 pts
Overall Proficiency49% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+2.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile46th
Resources & Environment7.5Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.3:1
District spending per student$13,931
Chronic Absenteeism33.1%

Students at J C Sawyer Elementary score 49% 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 Proficiency56%(2025 NC)
School
State
59%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency44%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 31 points since 2020, reaching 50% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
82%
ELA
68%
2010
Math
75%
ELA
67%
2011
Math
78%
ELA
67%
2012
Math
37%
ELA
37%
2013
Math
37%
ELA
37%
2014
Math
37%
ELA
37%
2015
Math
40%
ELA
39%
2016
Math
40%
ELA
35%
2017
Math
44%
ELA
32%
2018
Math
37%
ELA
32%
2019
Math
37%
ELA
32%
2020*
Math
12%
ELA
27%
2021*
Math
12%
ELA
27%
2022
Math
23%
ELA
26%
2025
Math
56%
ELA
44%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 45% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 41% (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

99.2%

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 J C Sawyer 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 24Car-Dependent
  • Bike 48Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,743/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Elizabeth City), 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

$64,039

Median home value

$223,400

Median rent

$1,146/mo

College educated

26.9%

Homeownership

65.1%

Poverty rate

10%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27909; 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
Pasquotank ElementaryEnrollment path unverified3.3K–50.8 mi254Compare →
P W Moore ElementaryEnrollment path unverified4.8K–51.0 mi337Compare →
Sheep-harney ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.5PK–51.2 mi468Compare →
Northside ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.8K–5Not available411Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Elizabeth City-pasquotank Public Schools

Schools in district
13
Rank in district
#9 of 13
District spending per student
$13,931NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
20.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

J C Sawyer Elementary is listed in Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About J C Sawyer Elementary

J C Sawyer Elementary is a public elementary school in Elizabeth City, NC, part of Elizabeth City-pasquotank Public Schools, serving approximately 372 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.9 out of 10 and ranks #2,057 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about J C Sawyer Elementary

What grades does J C Sawyer Elementary serve?

J C Sawyer Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend J C Sawyer Elementary?

J C Sawyer Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 372 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at J C Sawyer Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at J C Sawyer Elementary is 14.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does J C Sawyer Elementary rank in NC?

J C Sawyer Elementary ranks #2,057 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is J C Sawyer Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

J C Sawyer Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.9 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 J C Sawyer Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, J C Sawyer Elementary has 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is J C Sawyer Elementary a charter school?

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

Is J C Sawyer Elementary a Title I school?

No, J C Sawyer Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for J C Sawyer Elementary?

99.2% of students at J C Sawyer 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
372
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
26
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Town
County
Pasquotank County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
33.1%
Area population (ZIP 27909)
40,878
Area average commute
27.3 min
Area median age
39.1
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 27909; 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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