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#1650 of 2,648 schools in NC

Saint Stephens Elementary

Elementary School · Catawba County Schools · Conover, NC

A Catawba County Schools elementary school where students score 9 points below what's typical for similar communities.

684 30th Street NE, Conover, NC 28613

  • Math 41% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 34% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.0Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.62 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics4.1Below Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency40.9% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency34.4% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-22.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-12.2 pts
Overall Proficiency38% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-8.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile22th
Resources & Environment7.5Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.3:1
District spending per student$11,487
Chronic Absenteeism22.3%

Students at Saint Stephens Elementary score 38% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 46%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency41%(2025 NC)
School
State
59%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency34%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 31 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 38% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
78%
ELA
58%
2010
Math
73%
ELA
57%
2011
Math
73%
ELA
54%
2012
Math
32%
ELA
28%
2013
Math
30%
ELA
29%
2014
Math
29%
ELA
31%
2015
Math
26%
ELA
31%
2016
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2017
Math
41%
ELA
35%
2018
Math
34%
ELA
35%
2019
Math
34%
ELA
35%
2020*
Math
38%
ELA
35%
2021*
Math
38%
ELA
35%
2022
Math
36%
ELA
30%
2025
Math
41%
ELA
34%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 42% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 37% (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 38 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

99.6%

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 Saint Stephens 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 3Car-Dependent
  • Bike 11Somewhat Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

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

Median income

$55,690

Median home value

$208,400

Median rent

$822/mo

College educated

20.1%

Homeownership

74%

Poverty rate

13%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28613; 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
St Stephen Lutheran SchoolPrivate · tuition4.7privatePK–81.3 mi200Compare →
Webb a Murray ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.3PK–61.3 mi384Compare →
Tabernacle Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition5.9privateK–123.1 mi307Compare →
Clyde Campbell ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.8PK–63.2 mi501Compare →

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.

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

Catawba County Schools

Schools in district
28
Rank in district
#19 of 27
District spending per student
$11,487NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
15.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Saint Stephens Elementary is listed in Catawba County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Saint Stephens Elementary

Saint Stephens Elementary is a public elementary school in Conover, NC, part of Catawba County Schools, serving approximately 730 students in grades Kindergarten-6th with a 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.7 out of 10 and ranks #1,650 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 42% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 37% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Saint Stephens Elementary

What grades does Saint Stephens Elementary serve?

Saint Stephens Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 6th.

How many students attend Saint Stephens Elementary?

Saint Stephens Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 730 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Saint Stephens Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Saint Stephens Elementary is 14.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Saint Stephens Elementary rank in NC?

Saint Stephens Elementary ranks #1,650 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Saint Stephens Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Saint Stephens Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.7 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 Saint Stephens Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Saint Stephens Elementary has 42% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 37% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Saint Stephens Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Saint Stephens Elementary a Title I school?

No, Saint Stephens Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

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

99.6% of students at Saint Stephens 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 – 6th
Enrollment
730
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
51
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Catawba County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
22.3%
Area population (ZIP 28613)
23,486
Area average commute
21 min
Area median age
39
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 28613; 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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