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Rowan-Salisbury Schools


At a glance
207thof 242 North Carolina districts▲ 5
Better than 14% of North Carolina districts
500 North Main Street
Salisbury, NC 28144
·(704) 636-7500·All North Carolina district rankings →
Statewide performance 2017–2025
2025: better than 14.5% of districts
32
Schools
17,683
Students
Top rankedRowan County Early College91st of 641 North Carolina high schools
Biggest riser
Morgan Elementary up 176 spots statewide this year
Smallest classes
Shive Elementary 14.5 students per teacher
SchoolDigger ratings
4★
2★
1★
0★
2 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)
Summary:

The Rowan-Salisbury Schools district in North Carolina consists of 32 schools, including 18 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, and 8 high schools, serving students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The district faces significant academic challenges, ranking 207 out of 242 districts in the state, but there are pockets of excellence within the system.

A few schools stand out for their exceptional performance, including Rowan County Early College, which consistently ranks among the top high schools in the state, and several high-performing elementary schools such as Millbridge Elementary, Mt Ulla Elementary, and Bostian Elementary. These schools demonstrate that with the right resources and strategies, students in the Rowan-Salisbury district can achieve academic success, even in the face of significant economic challenges.

However, the district as a whole struggles, with most high schools performing below state averages on end-of-course exams. The virtual school, Summit Virtual Academy, also performs relatively poorly compared to the district's brick-and-mortar schools. Addressing the wide achievement gap between the highest and lowest performing schools should be a priority for the Rowan-Salisbury Schools district as it works to improve overall academic outcomes for its students.

Ranking:
Map legend
E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private




Districts nearby

See the top NC North Carolina districts
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.





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