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Public elementary school · Orange County Schools · Hillsborough, North Carolina

Pathways Elementary

Pathways Elementary rates 9.3, among the strongest elementary schools in Orange County Schools, where the 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.
9.3this school

9.3 on a one-to-ten scale; the Orange County Schools median is 8.3.

#4 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina · Orange County Schools: 7 elementary schools rated, median 8.3

The brief

An Orange County Schools elementary school where students score 7 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 4 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina and 1 of 13 in Orange County Schools.

Pathways Elementary is listed in Orange 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.

Math78%16 points above the North Carolina average of 62%2026 NC
Reading68%12 points above the North Carolina average of 56%2026 NC
In 2026, 78% of students were proficient in math and 68% 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
9.8
50% of the rating
Academics
8.5
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
9.5
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 63% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 53% (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 27278; 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.
Pathways 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
$101,821
Median home value
$380,000
Median rent
$1,294/mo
College educated
53.8%
Homeownership
77.3%
Poverty rate
7.3%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27278; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
3
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
20
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
2,948/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Hillsborough. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Hillsborough), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

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
53.7%
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. Pathways Elementarythis school
    9.3
  2. 8.3Compare →
  3. The Expedition School2.9 mi · charter
    8.0Compare →
  4. 7.3Compare →
  5. 7.3Compare →
  6. Eno River Academy0.4 mi · charter
    7.2Compare →
  7. 7.1Compare →
Six grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and none rates higher than Pathways 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.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

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.

The public record

What's said publicly about Pathways Elementary

Sources:School's website

Synthesized from public, attributable sources. Updated May 2026.

Heather Rosy was named the 2026-27 Teacher of the Year at Pathways Elementary School 1. The school community participated in the launch of the STAR Pantry, supported by non-perishable food donations from families and staff 1. Pathways Elementary is a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) qualified school, meaning students are approved for meals at no cost 1. The school district, Orange County Schools, announced leadership changes and new administrator assignments in April 2026 1. Additionally, the district held a Health & Wellness Fair in May 2026 and recognized Justin Boggus as the district-level Teacher of the Year for the 2026-2027 cycle 1.
Sources (1)
  1. www.orangecountyfirst.com
Generated by AI from public sources. Every claim is grounded in a cited source.Report inaccuracy

Questions families ask

What grades does Pathways Elementary serve?

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

How many students attend Pathways Elementary?

Pathways Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 352 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Pathways Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Pathways Elementary is 13.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Pathways Elementary rank in NC?

Pathways Elementary ranks #4 of 2,660 schools in NC.

What is Pathways Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Pathways Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 9.3 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 Pathways Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Pathways Elementary has 63% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 53% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

Is Pathways Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Pathways Elementary a Title I school?

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

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

53.7% of students at Pathways 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
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
352
Student-teacher ratio
13.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
26
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Orange County
Rank in district
#1 of 13
Schools in district
13
District spending per student
$14,399
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
8.9%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 27278)
28,546
Area average commute
27.2 min
Area median age
44.9

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.