Skip to main content

Very Good

#895 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 34% in state

Nags Head Elementary School

Elementary School · Dare County Schools · Nags Head, NC

A Dare County Schools elementary school serving grades Pre-K – 5th.

3100 S Wrightsville Avenue, Nags Head, NC 27959

  • Math 69% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 53% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.0Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.62 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics7.0Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency68.7% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency52.8% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+4.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+6.2 pts
Overall Proficiency61% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)64% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-3.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile56th
Resources & Environment9.8Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.7:1
District spending per student$13,996
Chronic Absenteeism19.3%

Students at Nags Head Elementary School score 61% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 64%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency69%(2025 NC)
School
State
59%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency53%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 14 points since 2020, reaching 61% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
82%
ELA
78%
2010
Math
89%
ELA
79%
2011
Math
90%
ELA
80%
2012
Math
55%
ELA
57%
2013
Math
59%
ELA
58%
2014
Math
66%
ELA
59%
2015
Math
66%
ELA
60%
2016
Math
68%
ELA
61%
2017
Math
64%
ELA
57%
2018
Math
59%
ELA
57%
2019
Math
59%
ELA
57%
2020*
Math
48%
ELA
46%
2021*
Math
48%
ELA
46%
2022
Math
59%
ELA
54%
2025
Math
69%
ELA
53%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 66% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 59% (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

43.2%

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 Nags Head Elementary School 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 44Car-Dependent
  • Bike 53Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,674/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Nags Head), 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

$87,619

Median home value

$451,100

Median rent

$1,005/mo

College educated

51.5%

Homeownership

77.6%

Poverty rate

2.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27959; 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
First Flight Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.2PK–52.6 mi328Compare →
Manteo Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.3PK–55.0 mi648Compare →
Cape Hatteras Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.7PK–5Not available306Compare →
Kitty Hawk Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.6PK–5Not available469Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Dare County Schools

Schools in district
11
Rank in district
#6 of 10
District spending per student
$13,996NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

Nags Head Elementary School is listed in Dare County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Nags Head Elementary School

Nags Head Elementary School is a public elementary school in Nags Head, NC, part of Dare County Schools, serving approximately 502 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.1 out of 10 and ranks #895 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 66% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 59% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Nags Head Elementary School

What grades does Nags Head Elementary School serve?

Nags Head Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Nags Head Elementary School?

Nags Head Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 502 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Nags Head Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Nags Head Elementary School is 11.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Nags Head Elementary School rank in NC?

Nags Head Elementary School ranks #895 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Nags Head Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Nags Head Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.1 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 Nags Head Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Nags Head Elementary School has 66% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 59% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Nags Head Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Nags Head Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Nags Head Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Nags Head Elementary School?

43.2% of students at Nags Head Elementary School 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
502
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
43
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Town
County
Dare County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
19.3%
Area population (ZIP 27959)
3,172
Area median age
59
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 27959; 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.