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Excellent

#382 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 14% in state

Poplin Elementary

Elementary School · Union County Public Schools · Indian Trail, NC

An Union County Public Schools elementary school where students score 8 points above what's typical for similar communities.

5627 Poplin Rd, Indian Trail, NC 28079

  • Math 84% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 66% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.5Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.74 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics8.7Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency83.9% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency66% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+20.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+19.4 pts
Overall Proficiency75% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)67% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+8.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile81th
Resources & Environment6.3Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.8:1
District spending per student$11,340
Chronic Absenteeism20.6%

Students at Poplin Elementary score 75% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 66%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency84%(2025 NC)
School
State
59%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency66%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 6 points since 2020, reaching 75% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
92%
ELA
84%
2010
Math
93%
ELA
82%
2011
Math
94%
ELA
82%
2012
Math
73%
ELA
59%
2013
Math
72%
ELA
63%
2014
Math
78%
ELA
67%
2015
Math
83%
ELA
65%
2016
Math
82%
ELA
65%
2017
Math
79%
ELA
63%
2018
Math
74%
ELA
64%
2019
Math
74%
ELA
64%
2020*
Math
71%
ELA
67%
2021*
Math
71%
ELA
67%
2022
Math
84%
ELA
70%
2025
Math
84%
ELA
66%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 81% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 68% (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

34.1%

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 Poplin Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Charlotte map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 4Car-Dependent
  • Bike 26Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Average591/100K

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

$97,602

Median home value

$352,000

Median rent

$1,895/mo

College educated

40.7%

Homeownership

80.5%

Poverty rate

6.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28079; 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
Porter Ridge ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.1PK–51.5 mi724Compare →
Sardis ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.7PK–51.6 mi508Compare →
Hemby Bridge ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.1PK–51.7 mi493Compare →
Union Prep Academy at Indian TrailCharter · enrollment unverified5.8K–102.7 mi1,181Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

Union County Public Schools

Schools in district
52
Rank in district
#11 of 52
District spending per student
$11,340NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
8.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Poplin Elementary is listed in Union County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Poplin Elementary

Poplin Elementary is a public elementary school in Indian Trail, NC, part of Union County Public Schools, serving approximately 759 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.1 out of 10 and ranks #382 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 81% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 68% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Poplin Elementary

What grades does Poplin Elementary serve?

Poplin Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Poplin Elementary?

Poplin Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 759 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Poplin Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Poplin Elementary is 15.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Poplin Elementary rank in NC?

Poplin Elementary ranks #382 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Poplin Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Poplin Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.1 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 Poplin Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Poplin Elementary has 81% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 68% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Poplin Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Poplin Elementary a Title I school?

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

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

34.1% of students at Poplin 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
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
759
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
48
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Union County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
20.6%
Area population (ZIP 28079)
40,820
Area average commute
27 min
Area median age
37.5
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 28079; 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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