Skip to main content

Below Average

#2163 of 2,648 schools in NC

Ward Elementary

Elementary School · Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Winston-salem, NC

A Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools elementary school serving grades Pre-K – 5th.

3775 Fraternity Church Road, Winston-salem, NC 27127

  • Math 53% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 38% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.8Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.44 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.6Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency52.7% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency38.2% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-11.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-8.4 pts
Overall Proficiency45% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-1.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile38th
Resources & Environment7.5Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.2:1
District spending per student$13,811
Chronic Absenteeism33%

Students at Ward Elementary score 45% 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 Proficiency53%(2025 NC)
School
State
59%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency38%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 23 points since 2020, reaching 45% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
78%
ELA
67%
2010
Math
78%
ELA
63%
2011
Math
76%
ELA
64%
2012
Math
38%
ELA
33%
2013
Math
48%
ELA
42%
2014
Math
45%
ELA
38%
2015
Math
41%
ELA
36%
2016
Math
39%
ELA
34%
2017
Math
39%
ELA
29%
2018
Math
25%
ELA
30%
2019
Math
25%
ELA
30%
2020*
Math
18%
ELA
27%
2021*
Math
18%
ELA
27%
2022
Math
30%
ELA
30%
2025
Math
53%
ELA
38%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 45% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 39% (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

99.4%

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 Ward 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 4Car-Dependent
  • Bike 12Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,758/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Winston-salem), 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

$63,822

Median home value

$189,900

Median rent

$1,088/mo

College educated

30.6%

Homeownership

65.2%

Poverty rate

11%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27127; 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
Clemmons ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.1PK–52.2 mi806Compare →
Kimmel Farm ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.1PK–52.2 mi826Compare →
Frank Morgan ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.4PK–53.2 mi731Compare →
Cathedral Oak AcademyPrivate · tuition7.8privateK–93.8 mi70Compare →

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.

Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools

Schools in district
81
Rank in district
#54 of 78
District spending per student
$13,811NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
15.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Ward Elementary is listed in Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Ward Elementary

Ward Elementary is a public elementary school in Winston-salem, NC, part of Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools, serving approximately 482 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 out of 10 and ranks #2,163 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Ward Elementary

What grades does Ward Elementary serve?

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

How many students attend Ward Elementary?

Ward Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 482 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Ward Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Ward Elementary is 14.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Ward Elementary rank in NC?

Ward Elementary ranks #2,163 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Ward Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Ward Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 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 Ward Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Ward Elementary has 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Ward Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Ward Elementary a Title I school?

No, Ward Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

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

99.4% of students at Ward 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
482
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
34
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Forsyth County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
33.0%
Area population (ZIP 27127)
41,450
Area average commute
22.3 min
Area median age
36.3
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 27127; 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.