Best Elementary Schools in Spring Lake, NC

Spring Lake, North Carolina, is home to four elementary schools serving roughly 1,987 students in PK–5 and K–5 grades: Overhills Elementary (866 students) in Harnett County Schools; William T Brown Elementary (562 students) and Manchester Elementary (254 students), both in Cumberland County Schools; and Anderson Creek Academy (305 students), a standalone charter that serves as its own district.

Anderson Creek Academy is the clear standout. It holds a 5-star rating, ranks 96th out of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools (94th percentile), and posts an average EOG proficiency near 86%, far above the state average of 62.5%. It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the group (15.2%). Among traditional public schools, Overhills Elementary is the strongest and is improving, jumping from the 44th to 57th percentile and earning 3 stars, with overall proficiency around 63%, essentially at the state average. The two Cumberland County schools face much harder challenges: William T Brown Elementary ranks 1,116th (25th percentile, 1 star) and has a chronic absenteeism rate of 46.6% — nearly double the state average — while Manchester Elementary ranks 1,007th (33rd percentile, 2 stars). Both serve populations where more than 98% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch.

Notably, every school improved overall EOG proficiency from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026: William T Brown rose from ~41% to ~49%, Manchester from ~45% to ~50%, Overhills from ~54% to ~63%, and Anderson Creek Academy from ~81% to ~86%. Bright spots exist even in struggling schools — William T Brown's 4th-grade math hit 62.5% and Manchester's 4th-grade reading hit 68.8%, both above state averages — yet these schools also show sharp drops by 5th grade, signaling a need for upper-elementary support. District context matters too: Anderson Creek Academy's district ranks 11th of 246, Cumberland County Schools ranks 141st, and Harnett County Schools ranks 173rd. For parents, the choice is stark: one elite charter, one solid rising traditional school, and two high-poverty schools battling absenteeism.