Skip to main content

Below Average

#2323 of 2,648 schools in NC

Margaret Willis Elementary

Elementary School · Cumberland County Schools · Fayetteville, NC

A Cumberland County Schools elementary school where students score 3 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1412 Belvedere Avenue, Fayetteville, NC 28305

  • Math 46% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 43% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.1Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.72 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.1Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency44.4% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency41.9% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-19.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-4.7 pts
Overall Proficiency43% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-3.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile33th
Resources & Environment7.8Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.9:1
District spending per student$12,118
Chronic Absenteeism32.2%

Students at Margaret Willis Elementary score 43% 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 Proficiency46%(2025 NC)
School
State
59%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency43%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 30 points since 2020, reaching 44% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
77%
ELA
62%
2010
Math
72%
ELA
57%
2011
Math
87%
ELA
72%
2012
Math
37%
ELA
37%
2013
Math
42%
ELA
37%
2014
Math
37%
ELA
42%
2015
Math
42%
ELA
37%
2016
Math
42%
ELA
32%
2017
Math
32%
ELA
37%
2018
Math
22%
ELA
27%
2019
Math
22%
ELA
27%
2020*
Math
12%
ELA
17%
2021*
Math
12%
ELA
17%
2022
Math
19%
ELA
28%
2025
Math
46%
ELA
43%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 41% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 39% (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

99.1%

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 Margaret Willis 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 19Car-Dependent
  • Bike 21Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,781/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$70,612

Median home value

$242,600

Median rent

$1,029/mo

College educated

50%

Homeownership

56.6%

Poverty rate

16.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28305; 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
Alma O Easom ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.4K–10.8 mi267Compare →
Ferguson-easley ElementaryEnrollment path unverified3.1PK–51.0 mi379Compare →
Cornerstone Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition7.2privatePK–121.5 mi179Compare →
Armstrong ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.2PK–5Not available485Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

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

Cumberland County Schools

Schools in district
86
Rank in district
#74 of 84
District spending per student
$12,118NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
21.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Margaret Willis Elementary is listed in Cumberland County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Margaret Willis Elementary

Margaret Willis Elementary is a public elementary school in Fayetteville, NC, part of Cumberland County Schools, serving approximately 323 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.1 out of 10 and ranks #2,323 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 41% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Margaret Willis Elementary

What grades does Margaret Willis Elementary serve?

Margaret Willis Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Margaret Willis Elementary?

Margaret Willis Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 323 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Margaret Willis Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Margaret Willis Elementary is 12.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Margaret Willis Elementary rank in NC?

Margaret Willis Elementary ranks #2,323 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Margaret Willis Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Margaret Willis 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 Margaret Willis Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Margaret Willis Elementary has 41% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Margaret Willis Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Margaret Willis Elementary a Title I school?

No, Margaret Willis Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

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

99.1% of students at Margaret Willis 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
323
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
25
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Cumberland County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
32.2%
Area population (ZIP 28305)
5,993
Area average commute
18.4 min
Area median age
42.9
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 28305; 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

Get school insights in your inbox

New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.