Best Public Schools in Davidson, NC

Davidson, North Carolina is served by two schools—Davidson Elementary (K-5) and Community School of Davidson (K-12)—both of which consistently outperform state averages across nearly every subject and grade. Davidson Elementary is the clear ranking standout, sitting in the 98th percentile statewide (30th out of 1,492 schools) with a 5-star rating, and it has steadily climbed from 63rd place over the past two years. This is particularly impressive given that its own district, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, ranks only in the 57th percentile. Community School of Davidson, which operates as its own single-school district, has no state rank but earns standout status for its broad K-12 coverage and consistently high proficiency, especially on End-of-Course exams like English II (92.6% proficient) and Math III (94.1% proficient).

Both schools post remarkable academic numbers, with Davidson Elementary leading the way. In elementary math and reading, Davidson Elementary averages roughly 90% and 88% proficiency, respectively, compared to state averages near 64% and 56%. Community School of Davidson also excels across grades 3-8, averaging about 78% in math EOGs and 76% in reading EOGs versus state averages of roughly 60% and 56%. Science proficiency is similarly high at both schools, often more than 20 points above North Carolina. Attendance is another shared strength: chronic absenteeism is just 6.5% at Community School of Davidson and 10.1% at Davidson Elementary, compared to 24.2% statewide. Davidson Elementary also reports a low free/reduced lunch rate of 11.3%, while Community School of Davidson does not report this data.

While both schools are clearly excellent, there are a few caveats worth noting. Davidson Elementary, despite being a K-5 school, includes 6th-8th grade test scores in its 2024-2025 data—likely an artifact, so those results should be viewed cautiously. Community School of Davidson has one noticeable weak point: Math I EOC proficiency is only 45.9%, slightly above the state average of 42.1% but far below its other EOC scores (85-94%), and this figure has fallen sharply from 54.5% the prior year. Overall, parents in Davidson have two exceptional options—Davidson Elementary for top-ranked elementary education, and Community School of Davidson for a consistently strong K-12 alternative—with the main concern being the recent Math I decline at the latter.