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Gouge Primary

Public Grades PK, KG-2

Summary

Gouge Elementary is a public elementary school in Bakersville, North Carolina, serving 227 students in grades K-4. The school is part of the Mitchell County Schools district, which is ranked 108 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating.

Gouge Elementary stands out for its significantly higher percentage of white students (96.04%) compared to the state average and nearby schools like Newland Elementary and Freedom Trail Elementary. However, the school's academic performance has fluctuated, with a statewide ranking ranging from 479 out of 1,489 schools in 2020-2021 to 971 out of 1,505 schools in 2023-2024, placing it in the bottom half of North Carolina elementary schools. Interestingly, Gouge Elementary's male students have outperformed female students, and the school's white and low-income students have performed relatively well compared to their peers statewide.

Gouge Elementary's test scores in mathematics and reading for 3rd and 4th grades have generally been lower than the Mitchell County Schools and North Carolina state averages. The school has also experienced significant fluctuations in its free and reduced-price lunch rates, suggesting that it serves a population with varying levels of economic disadvantage, which may impact student performance. Compared to nearby schools in the Avery County and Yancey County school districts, Gouge Elementary's performance is generally lower, indicating that the school may face unique challenges.

144

Students ?

11.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,440

Per pupil spending ?

97.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

134 Laurel Street
Bakersville, NC 28705

(828) 766-2260

District: Mitchell County Schools

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.8%

Hispanic:

4.9%

Two or more races:

1.4%

See top rated North Carolina public schools

Compare Gouge Primary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 68th percentile in 2021 → 35th in 2024

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (47% vs 55% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped from its 68th-percentile peak (2021) to 35th (2024)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2023-2024) ?

This school47%

District avg50%

North Carolina avg55%

Not ranked this year

Gouge Primary did not have enough recent test-score data to be ranked. Check the trend below for past years.

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	37.9	971 of 1505	35.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	55.4	663 of 1502	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	57.9	622 of 1514	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	65.2	479 of 1489	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	38.9	943 of 1473	36.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	46.1	822 of 1434	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2017	47.3	800 of 1429	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2016	32.2	1044 of 1425	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	26.7	1126 of 1440	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	26.3	1065 of 1390	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	33.1	980 of 1403	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2012	62.3	556 of 1388	59.9%	★★★☆☆
2011	65.3	513 of 1381	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2010	74.4	305 of 1363	77.6%	★★★★☆
2009	76.2	274 of 1354	79.8%	★★★★☆
2008	41.5	847 of 1324	36.0%	★★☆☆☆
2007	45.3	815 of 1293	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2006	58.0	569 of 1276	55.4%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2019	31.6	656 of 878	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	54.4	337 of 897	62.4%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	37.4	958 of 1455	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	50.8	723 of 1459	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	40.0	888 of 1458	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	50.1	682 of 1440	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	37.9	941 of 1424	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	55.9	652 of 1405	53.6%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	35.0	1017 of 1450	29.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	66.5	385 of 1437	73.2%	★★★★☆
2022	72.3	247 of 1366	81.9%	★★★★☆
2021	54.8	501 of 1329	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.9	640 of 1361	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	38.4	885 of 1332	33.6%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	38.9	923 of 1464	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	57.7	606 of 1461	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	78.7	251 of 1464	82.9%	★★★★☆
2021	77.3	274 of 1444	81.0%	★★★★☆
2019	40.5	909 of 1430	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	42.0	895 of 1413	36.7%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	16.9	1069 of 1166	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	32.7	876 of 1183	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	32.8	877 of 1194	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	42.6	689 of 1172	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	16.4	1086 of 1183	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	23.5	1015 of 1178	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Male (2024)37th percentile~ school

Female (2024)34th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)30th percentile-6 vs school

Disabled (2019)25th percentile-11 vs school

White (2024)8th percentile-27 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2023-2024) ?

Mathematics48%-12 vs state

Reading47%-3 vs state

★

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Schools Near Gouge Primary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOG Mathematics (2025)			EOG Reading (2025)			EOG Science (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Gouge Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	134 Laurel Street	Bakersville	28705	Mitchell County	Mitchell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 766-2260	144	13	11.0	97.9%	135 (93.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.4%)								(n/a)								$11,440	$2,103	$9,338
Mitchell Elementary School	Public	3-5	5035 S 226 Hwy Ste A	Bakersville	28705	Mitchell County	Mitchell County Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(828) 766-2070	373	25	15.1	98.4%	307 (82.3%)	1 (0.3%)	55 (14.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.7%)								(n/a)	51.1	47.5	55.3	31.4	50.5	37.4	46.3
Riverside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	8020 US 19E Hwy South	Newland	28657	Avery County	Avery County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 737-5600	98	7	14.3	96.9%	89 (90.8%)	3 (3.1%)	5 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)	25.1	1180^th of 1490 public elementary schools	20.8%		56.9	635^th of 1505 public elementary schools	57.8%	545	26.3	40.0	75.0	36.8	30.0	41.7	41.7	$12,645	$1,329	$11,316
Burnsville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	395 Burnsville School Road	Burnsville	28714	Yancey County	Yancey County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 682-4515	350	23	15.2	99.1%	237 (67.7%)	1 (0.3%)	100 (28.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.1%)	36.8	968^th of 1490 public elementary schools	35.0%		42.9	873^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	42.0%	95	53.8	27.1	69.2	39.7	45.7	50.0	52.6	$11,092	$1,740	$9,353
Greenlee Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	2206 Carters Ridge Road	Spruce Pine	28777	Mitchell County	Mitchell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 766-9562	246	19	12.7	95.5%	194 (78.9%)	3 (1.2%)	38 (15.4%)	2 (0.8%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.8%)								(n/a)								$12,363	$1,195	$11,168
South Toe Elementary	Public	K-5	139 South Toe School Rd	Burnsville	28714	Yancey County	Yancey County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 675-4321	107	8	12.9	97.2%	89 (83.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (14.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.8%)	52.8	694^th of 1490 public elementary schools	53.4%		83.7	189^th of 1505 public elementary schools	87.4%	505	45.0	65.0	64.0	55.0	55.0	48.0	64.0	$12,329	$1,937	$10,392
Crossnore Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 Walt Clark Road	Crossnore	28616	Avery County	Avery County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 737-7204	184	15	12.1	98.4%	152 (82.6%)	1 (0.5%)	27 (14.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.6%)	53.7	678^th of 1490 public elementary schools	54.5%		78.2	275^th of 1505 public elementary schools	81.7%	403	64.1	57.1	77.8	41.0	47.6	55.6	72.2	$12,666	$1,132	$11,534
Newland Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	750 Linville Street	Newland	28657	Avery County	Avery County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 733-4911	214	16	13.6	96.7%	121 (56.5%)	1 (0.5%)	91 (42.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	28.5	1110^th of 1490 public elementary schools	25.5%		39.4	942^nd of 1505 public elementary schools	37.4%	168	27.3	34.8	54.5	30.3	56.5	48.5	51.5	$13,995	$1,835	$12,160
Freedom Trail Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6110 North US Hwy 19E	Elk Park	28622	Avery County	Avery County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 733-2932	202	15	13.0	94.1%	178 (88.1%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.0%)	64	500^th of 1490 public elementary schools	66.4%		77.5	287^th of 1505 public elementary schools	80.9%	213	40.0	73.7	80.6	40.0	68.4	71.0	71.0	$12,077	$1,306	$10,771
Blue Ridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	910 Cane River School Rd	Burnsville	28714	Yancey County	Yancey County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 682-8150	382	25	15.3	98.4%	351 (91.9%)	1 (0.3%)	22 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.3%)	48.4	770^th of 1490 public elementary schools	48.3%		51.1	728^th of 1505 public elementary schools	51.6%	42	26.2	76.7	47.7	35.4	66.7	55.4	66.2

Frequently Asked Questions about Gouge Primary

How many students attend Gouge Primary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 144 students attended Gouge Primary.

What district is Gouge Primary in?

Mitchell County Schools

What schools do graduates of Gouge Primary attend?

Students who attend Gouge Primary usually go on to attend:

High : Mayland Early College
High : Mitchell High

What is the racial makeup of Gouge Primary?

Students at Gouge Primary are 94% White, 5% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.