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Very Good

#845 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 32% in state

W G Pearson Elementary

Elementary School · Durham Public Schools · Durham, NC

A Durham Public Schools elementary school where students score 4 points below what's typical for similar communities.

3501 Fayettville Street, Durham, NC 27707

  • Math 45% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 42% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 11.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.7Very Good50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.07 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.1Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency44.2% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency41.5% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-19.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-5.1 pts
Overall Proficiency43% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-3.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile32th
Resources & Environment9.3Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.2:1
District spending per student$15,239
Chronic Absenteeism35.9%

Students at W G Pearson Elementary score 43% 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 Proficiency42%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 34 points since 2020, reaching 44% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
55%
ELA
49%
2010
Math
67%
ELA
50%
2011
Math
62%
ELA
40%
2012
Math
18%
ELA
17%
2013
Math
16%
ELA
14%
2014
Math
18%
ELA
16%
2015
Math
19%
ELA
14%
2016
Math
19%
ELA
15%
2017
Math
32%
ELA
24%
2018
Math
23%
ELA
21%
2019
Math
23%
ELA
21%
2020*
Math
3%
ELA
17%
2021*
Math
3%
ELA
17%
2022
Math
28%
ELA
31%
2025
Math
45%
ELA
42%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 31% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 29% (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

99.1%

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 W G Pearson 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 24Car-Dependent
  • Transit 38Some Transit
  • Bike 51Bikeable
  • 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

$72,432

Median home value

$371,500

Median rent

$1,364/mo

College educated

56.9%

Homeownership

47.2%

Poverty rate

14.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27707; 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
Faith Assembly Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition6.9privateK–120.3 mi42Compare →
Fayetteville Street ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.6PK–50.4 mi239Compare →
Quality Education Institute of DurhamPrivate · tuitionNot ratedPK–50.5 mi28Compare →
C C Spaulding ElementaryEnrollment path unverified4.9PK–51.4 mi223Compare →

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.

Durham Public Schools

Schools in district
56
Rank in district
#26 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

W G Pearson Elementary is listed in Durham Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About W G Pearson Elementary

W G Pearson Elementary is a public elementary school in Durham, NC, part of Durham Public Schools, serving approximately 348 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 11.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.2 out of 10 and ranks #845 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 31% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 29% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about W G Pearson Elementary

What grades does W G Pearson Elementary serve?

W G Pearson Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend W G Pearson Elementary?

W G Pearson Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 348 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at W G Pearson Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at W G Pearson Elementary is 11.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does W G Pearson Elementary rank in NC?

W G Pearson Elementary ranks #845 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is W G Pearson Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

W G Pearson Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.2 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 G Pearson Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, W G Pearson Elementary has 31% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 29% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is W G Pearson Elementary a charter school?

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

Is W G Pearson Elementary a Title I school?

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

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for W G Pearson Elementary?

99.1% of students at W G Pearson 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
348
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
31
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Durham County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
35.9%
Area population (ZIP 27707)
50,865
Area average commute
21.1 min
Area median age
35
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 27707; 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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