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Below Average

#2327 of 2,648 schools in NC

Kings Creek Elementary

Elementary School · Caldwell County Schools · Lenoir, NC

A Caldwell County Schools elementary school where students score 11 points below what's typical for similar communities.

3680 Wilkesboro Boulevard, Lenoir, NC 28645

  • Math 25% vs NC 57% (2025)
  • Reading 47% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.8Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.41 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics3.6Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency24.3% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency46.7% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-39.5 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+0.1 pts
Overall Proficiency36% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-11.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile17th
Resources & Environment8.0Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.4:1
District spending per student$12,066
Chronic Absenteeism35.8%

Students at Kings Creek Elementary score 36% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 47%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency25%(2025 NC)
School
State
57%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency47%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 11 points since 2020, to 36% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
77%
2010
Math
87%
ELA
77%
2011
Math
92%
ELA
82%
2012
Math
42%
ELA
47%
2013
Math
37%
ELA
47%
2014
Math
37%
ELA
52%
2015
Math
37%
ELA
47%
2016
Math
47%
ELA
52%
2017
Math
57%
ELA
52%
2018
Math
42%
ELA
52%
2019
Math
42%
ELA
52%
2020*
Math
42%
ELA
52%
2021*
Math
42%
ELA
52%
2022
Math
46%
ELA
46%
2025
Math
25%
ELA
47%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 43% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 53% (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 42 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

98%

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 Kings Creek 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 14Car-Dependent
  • Bike 5Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,522/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$50,529

Median home value

$157,800

Median rent

$726/mo

College educated

17.3%

Homeownership

71.7%

Poverty rate

12.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28645; 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 Caldwell County Schools

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Baton ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.0PK–5Not available347Compare →
Granite Falls ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.8PK–5Not available593Compare →
Hudson ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.7PK–5Not available633Compare →
Lower Creek ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.9PK–5Not available383Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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
#19 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

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

About Kings Creek Elementary

Kings Creek Elementary is a public elementary school in Lenoir, NC, part of Caldwell County Schools, serving approximately 148 students in grades Pre-K-8th with a 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.1 out of 10 and ranks #2,327 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 43% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 53% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Kings Creek Elementary

What grades does Kings Creek Elementary serve?

Kings Creek Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 8th.

How many students attend Kings Creek Elementary?

Kings Creek Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 148 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Kings Creek Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Kings Creek Elementary is 11.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Kings Creek Elementary rank in NC?

Kings Creek Elementary ranks #2,327 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Kings Creek Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Kings Creek Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.1 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 Kings Creek Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Kings Creek Elementary has 43% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 53% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Kings Creek Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Kings Creek Elementary a Title I school?

No, Kings Creek Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

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

98.0% of students at Kings Creek 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 – 8th
Enrollment
148
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
13
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Caldwell County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
35.8%
Area population (ZIP 28645)
46,237
Area average commute
28 min
Area median age
46.5
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 28645; 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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