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Average

#1178 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 44% in state

W a Young Elementary

Elementary School · Burke County Schools · Morganton, NC

A Burke County Schools elementary school where students score 4 points above what's typical for similar communities.

325 Conley Road, Morganton, NC 28655

  • Math 56% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 46% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 10.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.5Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.74 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics6.5Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency55.2% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency45.5% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-8.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-1.1 pts
Overall Proficiency50% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+3.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile49th
Resources & Environment9.7Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio10.9:1
District spending per student$12,261
Chronic Absenteeism17.4%

Students at W a Young Elementary score 50% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 47%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency56%(2025 NC)
School
State
59%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency46%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 11 points since 2020, reaching 51% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
77%
2010
Math
84%
ELA
72%
2011
Math
84%
ELA
73%
2012
Math
37%
ELA
32%
2013
Math
37%
ELA
37%
2014
Math
32%
ELA
42%
2015
Math
32%
ELA
37%
2016
Math
46%
ELA
40%
2017
Math
47%
ELA
42%
2018
Math
33%
ELA
35%
2019
Math
33%
ELA
35%
2020*
Math
42%
ELA
37%
2021*
Math
42%
ELA
37%
2022
Math
54%
ELA
51%
2025
Math
56%
ELA
46%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 51% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 46% (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 W a Young 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 5Car-Dependent
  • Bike 3Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Elevated926/100K

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

$53,464

Median home value

$170,400

Median rent

$827/mo

College educated

20.8%

Homeownership

72.7%

Poverty rate

21.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28655; 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
Glen Alpine ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.9PK–50.9 mi305Compare →
Silvercreek Adventist SchoolPrivate · tuition5.9privateK–81.8 mi40Compare →
Forest Hill ElementaryEnrollment path unverified3.9PK–53.8 mi291Compare →
The Learning CenterPrivate · tuitionNot ratedK–93.9 mi21Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

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

Burke County Schools

Schools in district
27
Rank in district
#13 of 26
District spending per student
$12,261NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
23.0%Census SAIPE · 2024

W a Young Elementary is listed in Burke County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About W a Young Elementary

W a Young Elementary is a public elementary school in Morganton, NC, part of Burke County Schools, serving approximately 293 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 10.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.6 out of 10 and ranks #1,178 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 46% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about W a Young Elementary

What grades does W a Young Elementary serve?

W a Young Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend W a Young Elementary?

W a Young Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 293 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at W a Young Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at W a Young Elementary is 10.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does W a Young Elementary rank in NC?

W a Young Elementary ranks #1,178 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is W a Young Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

W a Young Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.6 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 W a Young Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, W a Young Elementary has 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 46% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is W a Young Elementary a charter school?

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

Is W a Young Elementary a Title I school?

No, W a Young Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for W a Young Elementary?

99.0% of students at W a Young 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
293
Student-Teacher Ratio
10.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
27
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Burke County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
17.4%
Area population (ZIP 28655)
56,201
Area average commute
23.5 min
Area median age
43.5
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 28655; 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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