Skip to main content

Average

#1053 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 40% in state

River Park Elementary

Elementary School · Orange County Schools · Hillsborough, NC

An Orange County Schools elementary school where students score 3 points above what's typical for similar communities.

240 St. Mary's Road, Hillsborough, NC 27278

  • Math 74% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 65% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.1Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.81 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics8.1Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency73.5% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency65.3% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+9.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+18.7 pts
Overall Proficiency69% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)66% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+3.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile71th
Resources & Environment9.6Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.5:1
District spending per student$14,399
Chronic Absenteeism18.7%

Students at River Park Elementary score 69% 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 Proficiency74%(2025 NC)
School
State
59%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency65%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 21 points since 2020, reaching 69% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
92%
ELA
78%
2010
Math
93%
ELA
84%
2011
Math
93%
ELA
82%
2012
Math
68%
ELA
61%
2013
Math
64%
ELA
58%
2014
Math
66%
ELA
61%
2015
Math
69%
ELA
54%
2016
Math
67%
ELA
56%
2017
Math
62%
ELA
54%
2018
Math
52%
ELA
49%
2019
Math
52%
ELA
49%
2020*
Math
45%
ELA
52%
2021*
Math
45%
ELA
52%
2022
Math
60%
ELA
57%
2025
Math
74%
ELA
65%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 68% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 61% (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

35.5%

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 River Park 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 44Car-Dependent
  • Bike 50Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,904/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$101,821

Median home value

$380,000

Median rent

$1,294/mo

College educated

53.8%

Homeownership

77.3%

Poverty rate

7.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27278; 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
Hillsborough Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition6.5privateK–80.7 mi95Compare →
Hillsborough ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.8PK–51.0 mi434Compare →
Central ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.9PK–51.2 mi287Compare →
The Expedition SchoolCharter · enrollment unverified9.5K–81.2 mi361Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Orange County Schools

Schools in district
13
Rank in district
#6 of 13
District spending per student
$14,399NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
8.9%Census SAIPE · 2024

River Park Elementary is listed in Orange County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About River Park Elementary

River Park Elementary is a public elementary school in Hillsborough, NC, part of Orange County Schools, serving approximately 555 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.9 out of 10 and ranks #1,053 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 68% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 61% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about River Park Elementary

What grades does River Park Elementary serve?

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

How many students attend River Park Elementary?

River Park Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 555 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at River Park Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at River Park 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 River Park Elementary rank in NC?

River Park Elementary ranks #1,053 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is River Park Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

River Park Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.9 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 River Park Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, River Park Elementary has 68% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 61% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is River Park Elementary a charter school?

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

Is River Park Elementary a Title I school?

No, River Park Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

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

35.5% of students at River Park 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
555
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
41
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Town
County
Orange County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
18.7%
Area population (ZIP 27278)
28,546
Area average commute
27.2 min
Area median age
44.9
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 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, 2009-2025; 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.