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Public elementary school · Stanly County Schools · Locust, North Carolina

Locust Elementary

Locust Elementary rates 6.4, below most Stanly County Schools elementary schools, whose rated median is 8.3.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
6.4this school

6.4 on a one-to-ten scale; the Stanly County Schools median is 8.3.

#1,342 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina · Stanly County Schools: 11 elementary schools rated, median 8.3

The brief

A Stanly County Schools elementary school where students score 22 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 1,342 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina and 13 of 22 in Stanly County Schools.

Locust Elementary is listed in Stanly County Schools, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math75%13 points above the North Carolina average of 62%2026 NC
Reading69%13 points above the North Carolina average of 56%2026 NC
In 2026, 75% of students were proficient in math and 69% in reading, against North Carolina averages of 62% and 56%.2026 NC; 60 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
4.6
50% of the rating
Academics
9.1
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
7.0
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 70% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 63% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

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 · 2026 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 · 2026 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)
State assessments · 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 28097; 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, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Locust Elementary and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$77,600
Median home value
$281,200
Median rent
$861/mo
College educated
19.5%
Homeownership
81.7%
Poverty rate
10.1%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28097; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
28
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
30
Somewhat Bikeable

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
96%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 8.3Compare →
  2. Locust Elementarythis school
    6.4
One grade-compatible school using the same rating model sits within 5 miles, and one rates higher than Locust Elementary.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Locust Elementary serve?

Locust Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Locust Elementary?

Locust Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 526 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Locust Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Locust Elementary is 15.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Locust Elementary rank in NC?

Locust Elementary ranks #1,342 of 2,660 schools in NC.

What is Locust Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Locust Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.4 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 Locust Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Locust Elementary has 70% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 63% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

Is Locust Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Locust Elementary a Title I school?

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

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

96.0% of students at Locust 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 facts

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
526
Student-teacher ratio
15.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
33
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Stanly County
Rank in district
#13 of 22
Schools in district
23
District spending per student
$10,914
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
15.4%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 28097)
7,976
Area average commute
30.7 min
Area median age
37

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, North Carolina Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.