Summary:
The city of Cove City, North Carolina has only one public school serving grades PK-5: James W. Smith Elementary. This school is part of the Craven County Board of Education district, which is ranked 128 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.
James W. Smith Elementary has consistently underperformed compared to the Craven County and North Carolina state averages in academic proficiency across multiple grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 5th grade mathematics, the school had a 60.4% proficiency rate, compared to 58.8% for the district and 59.3% for the state. In 5th grade reading, the school's proficiency rate was 45.8%, while the district and state rates were 52.3% and 52.9%, respectively. Additionally, the school has a very high rate of 99.09% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high concentration of students from low-income families.
Despite the relatively high spending per student ($12,531) and a low student-teacher ratio of 12.7 to 1, James W. Smith Elementary's academic performance suggests that these resources may not be translating into improved student outcomes. The school's statewide ranking has fluctuated in recent years, ranging from 780 out of 1,502 schools in 2022-2023 to 962 out of 1,505 schools in 2023-2024, further highlighting the need for targeted interventions and support to address the challenges faced by this school and its community.
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