Best Public Schools in Leicester, NC

The city of Leicester, North Carolina, is served by a single school — Leicester Elementary — a PK–4 school within Buncombe County Schools that enrolls 399 students and stands out for its remarkable recent academic turnaround despite exceptionally high poverty levels, with 98.75% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. Over the past three reported school years, the school has climbed from a state rank of 1,145 (bottom quarter of North Carolina elementary schools, 1 star) to 505 (upper third, 3 stars), improving consistently in both ranking transitions. In the most recent year, Leicester Elementary outperformed both the district and state averages in 3rd grade math (67.8% vs. 66.9% district and 66.4% state), 4th grade math (74.7% vs. 63.3% and 61.4%), and 3rd grade reading (61.0% vs. 59.0% and 55.6%).

The most dramatic improvement came in 4th grade math, which jumped an extraordinary 27.4 percentage points from 47.3% to 74.7% in a single year — flipping from 11 points below the district to more than 11 points above it. Every subject and grade level improved year-over-year, with gains ranging from 7.8 points in 4th grade reading to 27.4 points in 4th grade math, suggesting genuine, sustained progress rather than a statistical fluke. With a student-teacher ratio of 15.3 and a chronic absenteeism rate of 21.0% (above the district's 18.7% but below the state's 24.2%), the school faces real challenges, yet its academic results demonstrate that high poverty does not have to dictate low achievement.

However, 4th grade reading remains a relative weak spot: at 57.8%, proficiency is slightly below the district's 60.5%, though it roughly matches the state average. Additionally, because the school only serves grades PK–4, these strong results do not capture how students perform once they transition to middle school. Chronic absenteeism also deserves attention, particularly for younger students building foundational skills. Overall, Leicester Elementary represents a promising case of rapid academic improvement within Buncombe County Schools, though families should watch 4th grade literacy and attendance trends as the school continues its upward trajectory.