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#1801 of 2,648 schools in NC

R N Harris Elementary

Elementary School · Durham Public Schools · Durham, NC

A Durham Public Schools elementary school where students score 6 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1520 Cooper Street, Durham, NC 27703

  • Math 45% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 36% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 10.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.2Below Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.04 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics4.6Below Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency44.4% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency36.3% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-19.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-10.3 pts
Overall Proficiency40% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-6.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile27th
Resources & Environment9.5Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio10.4:1
District spending per student$15,239
Chronic Absenteeism33.2%

Students at R N Harris Elementary score 40% 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 Proficiency45%(2025 NC)
School
State
59%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency36%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 16 points since 2020, reaching 40% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
77%
ELA
62%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
72%
2011
Math
87%
ELA
72%
2012
Math
32%
ELA
22%
2013
Math
37%
ELA
37%
2014
Math
37%
ELA
32%
2015
Math
42%
ELA
37%
2016
Math
37%
ELA
32%
2017
Math
47%
ELA
37%
2018
Math
27%
ELA
37%
2019
Math
27%
ELA
37%
2020*
Math
12%
ELA
37%
2021*
Math
12%
ELA
37%
2022
Math
53%
ELA
45%
2025
Math
45%
ELA
36%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 44% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 41% (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%

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 R N Harris 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 29Car-Dependent
  • Transit 33Some Transit
  • Bike 31Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,431/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$86,953

Median home value

$340,500

Median rent

$1,469/mo

College educated

45.1%

Homeownership

65.2%

Poverty rate

10.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27703; 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
Burton ElementaryEnrollment path unverified9.0PK–50.6 mi294Compare →
Maureen Joy Charter SchoolCharter · enrollment unverified6.1K–81.0 mi634Compare →
Quality Education Institute of DurhamPrivate · tuitionNot ratedPK–51.1 mi28Compare →
Y E Smith ElementaryEnrollment path unverified4.7PK–51.2 mi265Compare →

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.

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

Durham Public Schools

Schools in district
56
Rank in district
#43 of 54
District spending per student
$15,239NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

R N Harris Elementary is listed in Durham Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About R N Harris Elementary

R N Harris Elementary is a public elementary school in Durham, NC, part of Durham Public Schools, serving approximately 301 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 10.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.4 out of 10 and ranks #1,801 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 44% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about R N Harris Elementary

What grades does R N Harris Elementary serve?

R N Harris Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend R N Harris Elementary?

R N Harris Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 301 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at R N Harris Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at R N Harris Elementary is 10.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does R N Harris Elementary rank in NC?

R N Harris Elementary ranks #1,801 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is R N Harris Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

R N Harris Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.4 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 R N Harris Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, R N Harris Elementary has 44% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is R N Harris Elementary a charter school?

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

Is R N Harris Elementary a Title I school?

No, R N Harris Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for R N Harris Elementary?

99.0% of students at R N Harris 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
301
Student-Teacher Ratio
10.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
29
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Durham County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
33.2%
Area population (ZIP 27703)
62,994
Area average commute
24.3 min
Area median age
35.9
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 27703; 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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