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Average

#1251 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 47% in state

Nebo Elementary School

Elementary School · Mcdowell County Schools · Nebo, NC

A Mcdowell County Schools elementary school where students score 8 points above what's typical for similar communities.

254 Nebo School Road, Nebo, NC 28761

  • Math 56% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 52% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.9Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.64 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics7.2Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency56.1% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency52% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-7.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+5.4 pts
Overall Proficiency54% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+7.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile58th
Resources & Environment7.1Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.9:1
District spending per student$13,112
Chronic Absenteeism34.4%

Students at Nebo Elementary School score 54% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 47%).

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 Proficiency52%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 19 points since 2020, reaching 54% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
82%
ELA
74%
2010
Math
80%
ELA
74%
2011
Math
81%
ELA
75%
2012
Math
37%
ELA
46%
2013
Math
40%
ELA
48%
2014
Math
32%
ELA
37%
2015
Math
32%
ELA
32%
2016
Math
32%
ELA
32%
2017
Math
42%
ELA
47%
2018
Math
32%
ELA
47%
2019
Math
32%
ELA
47%
2020*
Math
27%
ELA
42%
2021*
Math
27%
ELA
42%
2022
Math
57%
ELA
48%
2025
Math
56%
ELA
52%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 48% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 50% (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 Nebo 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 24Car-Dependent
  • Bike 15Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Elevated1,453/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$68,152

Median home value

$171,600

Median rent

$1,052/mo

College educated

21.7%

Homeownership

84.5%

Poverty rate

10.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28761; 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
Eastfield Global Magnet SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.2PK–53.8 mi274Compare →
Marion Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.8PK–54.7 mi356Compare →
New Manna Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition4.2privatePK–124.7 mi195Compare →
Old Fort Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.7PK–5Not available319Compare →

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.

Mcdowell County Schools

Schools in district
15
Rank in district
#7 of 15
District spending per student
$13,112NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Nebo Elementary School is listed in McDowell County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Nebo Elementary School

Nebo Elementary School is a public elementary school in Nebo, NC, part of Mcdowell County Schools, serving approximately 334 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.5 out of 10 and ranks #1,251 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 48% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Nebo Elementary School

What grades does Nebo Elementary School serve?

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

How many students attend Nebo Elementary School?

Nebo Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 334 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Nebo Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Nebo Elementary School is 13.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Nebo Elementary School rank in NC?

Nebo Elementary School ranks #1,251 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Nebo Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Nebo Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.5 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 Nebo Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Nebo Elementary School has 48% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Nebo Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Nebo Elementary School a Title I school?

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

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

99.1% of students at Nebo 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
334
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
24
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
McDowell County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
34.4%
Area population (ZIP 28761)
7,884
Area average commute
28.6 min
Area median age
46.4
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 28761; 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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