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Very Good

#533 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 20% in state

Sandy Ridge Elementary

Elementary School · Durham Public Schools · Durham, NC

A Durham Public Schools elementary school where students score 8 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1417 Old Oxford Highway, Durham, NC 27704

  • Math 49% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 45% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.7Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-0.52 pts/yr
Data Period2011–2025
TrendStable
Academics5.1Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency49.5% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency44.6% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-14.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-2 pts
Overall Proficiency47% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)55% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-7.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile33th
Resources & Environment9.7Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.4:1
District spending per student$15,239
Chronic Absenteeism28.5%

Students at Sandy Ridge Elementary score 47% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 55%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency49%(2025 NC)
School
State
59%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency45%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 15-year record (2011–2025), then recovered 25 points since 2020, reaching 47% in 2025.

Show all 13 years
2011
Math
79%
ELA
63%
2012
Math
36%
ELA
35%
2013
Math
32%
ELA
30%
2014
Math
29%
ELA
32%
2015
Math
42%
ELA
36%
2016
Math
35%
ELA
35%
2017
Math
40%
ELA
33%
2018
Math
28%
ELA
34%
2019
Math
28%
ELA
34%
2020*
Math
17%
ELA
28%
2021*
Math
17%
ELA
28%
2022
Math
48%
ELA
40%
2025
Math
49%
ELA
45%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 39% (multi-year average, 2011-2025) · reading/ELA 38% (multi-year average, 2011-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 32 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

72.1%

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 Sandy Ridge 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 10Car-Dependent
  • Transit 20Minimal Transit
  • Bike 26Somewhat 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

$62,435

Median home value

$270,000

Median rent

$1,306/mo

College educated

33.2%

Homeownership

58.1%

Poverty rate

13.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27704; 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
Voyager AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified8.0K–121.6 mi1,363Compare →
Excelsior Classical AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified4.4K–121.8 mi1,029Compare →
Holt ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.9PK–51.9 mi618Compare →
Glenn ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.8K–52.7 mi570Compare →

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.

Durham Public Schools

Schools in district
56
Rank in district
#18 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

Sandy Ridge Elementary is listed in Durham Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Sandy Ridge Elementary

Sandy Ridge Elementary is a public elementary school in Durham, NC, part of Durham Public Schools, serving approximately 477 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.8 out of 10 and ranks #533 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 39% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2011-2025) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2011-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Sandy Ridge Elementary

What grades does Sandy Ridge Elementary serve?

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

How many students attend Sandy Ridge Elementary?

Sandy Ridge Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 477 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Sandy Ridge Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Sandy Ridge Elementary is 11.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Sandy Ridge Elementary rank in NC?

Sandy Ridge Elementary ranks #533 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Sandy Ridge Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Sandy Ridge Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.8 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 Sandy Ridge Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Sandy Ridge Elementary has 39% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2011-2025) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2011-2025).

Is Sandy Ridge Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Sandy Ridge Elementary a Title I school?

No, Sandy Ridge Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

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

72.1% of students at Sandy Ridge 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
477
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
42
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Durham County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
28.5%
Area population (ZIP 27704)
41,346
Area average commute
25 min
Area median age
35.8
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 27704; 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, 2011-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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