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STARS Charter

Q: Is STARS Charter a good school?

STARS Charter ranks 153 rd of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades K-8

153^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 90% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

STARS Charter is a K-8 public charter school in Vass, NC, serving 885 students under the Sandhills Theatre Arts Renaiss district. It is one of the larger schools in the immediate area and, unlike most neighborhood elementary schools in the Moore County Schools system, it also serves the middle grades. The school has a strong track record; its current #153 statewide ranking (90th percentile, 4 stars) is comfortably in the top 10% of North Carolina schools, slightly off a recent run of five-star results between 2022 and 2025. STARS sits in an elite local cluster alongside Pinehurst Elementary (96th percentile), McDeeds Creek Elementary (90th percentile), and The Academy of Moore County (90th percentile).

STARS' standout strength is middle-school achievement. Eighth-grade math proficiency is 90.1% versus 53.0% statewide; eighth-grade reading is 86.8% versus 56.1%; and eighth-grade science is 85.7% versus 68.6%. The comparison with nearby Moore Montessori Community School is striking — STARS posts 90.1% in eighth-grade math versus Moore Montessori's 52.6%. Math is strong in the elementary grades too: 3rd grade (90.7%) and 4th grade (91.3%) are far above state averages. Attendance is also a plus: STARS' 14.2% chronic absenteeism rate beats the 24.2% statewide average and the rates at nearby Aberdeen Elementary (37.4%) and Cameron Elementary (29.8%).

A few things are worth watching. Fifth-grade math proficiency dropped to 65.6%, well below that cohort's earlier scores — a pattern that looks like a grade-level dip rather than a school-wide trend. Looking at student subgroups, Hispanic students perform at the 99th percentile statewide, while economically disadvantaged students remain above average though not as strong in recent years as before. African American students' current scores trail the school's overall high marks, so families may want to look beyond the headline rating. Even with these variations, STARS remains a strong choice locally, especially for families who value consistently high middle-school outcomes.

885

Students ?

15.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

140 Southern Dunes Dr
Vass, NC 28394-9218

(910) 695-1004

District: Sandhills Theatre Arts Renaiss

Racial breakdown:

White:

72.1%

Hispanic:

13.7%

African American:

6.4%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare STARS Charter to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 97th percentile in 2023 → 90th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (82% vs 59% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 10% of North Carolina elementary schools

Worth a look

!Graduation rate below the North Carolina average (33% vs 88%)

!Ranking has slipped from its 97th-percentile peak (2023) to 90th (2026)

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school82%

North Carolina avg59%

Elementary school

153^rd of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 10%▲ up 9 pts since 2016

From top 20% (2016) to top 10% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

38^th of 778

North Carolina public middle schools ?

Top 5%▲ up 19 pts since 2016

From top 24% (2016) to top 5% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

12^th of 246Sandhills Theatre Arts Renaiss among North Carolina districts

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

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	87.3	153 of 1492	89.7%	★★★★☆
2025	92.1	80 of 1490	94.6%	★★★★★
2024	92.5	78 of 1505	94.8%	★★★★★
2023	94.5	47 of 1502	96.9%	★★★★★
2022	92.6	80 of 1514	94.7%	★★★★★
2021	94.0	73 of 1489	95.1%	★★★★★
2019	87.9	120 of 1473	91.9%	★★★★★
2018	81.8	198 of 1434	86.2%	★★★★☆
2017	75.2	320 of 1429	77.6%	★★★★☆
2016	76.9	280 of 1425	80.4%	★★★★☆
2015	54.1	685 of 1440	52.4%	★★★☆☆
2014	41.0	835 of 1390	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2013	34.4	957 of 1403	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2012	22.7	1183 of 1388	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	28.4	1096 of 1381	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	17.4	1208 of 1363	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	28.8	1042 of 1354	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	22.7	1099 of 1324	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	27.5	1057 of 1293	18.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	16.0	1162 of 1276	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	42.6	532 of 903	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	82.8	88 of 896	90.2%	★★★★★

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2021	90.2	24 of 646	96.3%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	84.6	166 of 1447	88.5%	★★★★☆
2025	91.4	75 of 1451	94.8%	★★★★★
2024	91.2	79 of 1455	94.6%	★★★★★
2023	91.7	77 of 1459	94.7%	★★★★★
2022	90.3	93 of 1458	93.6%	★★★★★
2021	93.4	66 of 1440	95.4%	★★★★★
2019	90.0	73 of 1424	94.9%	★★★★★
2018	81.4	195 of 1405	86.1%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	96.5	14 of 981	98.6%	★★★★★
2025	95.8	19 of 961	98.0%	★★★★★
2024	98.0	8 of 951	99.2%	★★★★★
2023	99.4	3 of 915	99.7%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	68.3	334 of 1434	76.7%	★★★★☆
2025	76.6	208 of 1437	85.5%	★★★★☆
2024	92.4	35 of 1450	97.6%	★★★★★
2023	95.0	18 of 1437	98.7%	★★★★★
2022	91.6	38 of 1366	97.2%	★★★★★
2021	86.0	90 of 1329	93.2%	★★★★★
2019	90.8	48 of 1361	96.5%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	87.7	121 of 1451	91.7%	★★★★★
2025	90.7	90 of 1450	93.8%	★★★★★
2024	91.3	84 of 1464	94.3%	★★★★★
2023	95.3	32 of 1461	97.8%	★★★★★
2022	92.2	72 of 1464	95.1%	★★★★★
2021	91.9	80 of 1444	94.5%	★★★★★
2019	76.9	257 of 1430	82.0%	★★★★☆
2018	76.8	260 of 1413	81.6%	★★★★☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	63.7	20 of 67	70.1%	★★★★☆
2025	89.7	3 of 72	95.8%	★★★★★
2024	90.9	2 of 75	97.3%	★★★★★
2023	92.3	2 of 81	97.5%	★★★★★
2022	93.2	1 of 85	98.8%	★★★★★
2021	89.4	3 of 76	96.1%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	46.1	381 of 815	53.3%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	75.8	250 of 1146	78.2%	★★★★☆
2025	82.3	159 of 1172	86.4%	★★★★☆
2024	82.1	165 of 1166	85.8%	★★★★☆
2023	87.4	83 of 1183	93.0%	★★★★★
2022	83.6	145 of 1194	87.9%	★★★★☆
2021	88.2	82 of 1172	93.0%	★★★★★
2019	74.6	251 of 1183	78.8%	★★★★☆
2018	72.6	300 of 1178	74.5%	★★★★☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	93.6	38 of 778	95.1%	★★★★★
2025	95.4	32 of 773	95.9%	★★★★★
2024	95.4	30 of 793	96.2%	★★★★★
2023	95.0	25 of 784	96.8%	★★★★★
2022	94.1	40 of 786	94.9%	★★★★★
2021	86.5	71 of 741	90.4%	★★★★★
2019	83.9	91 of 737	87.7%	★★★★☆
2018	74.1	156 of 691	77.4%	★★★★☆
2017	62.9	250 of 694	64.0%	★★★☆☆
2016	72.4	165 of 692	76.2%	★★★★☆
2015	52.8	341 of 705	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2014	33.3	416 of 627	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2013	42.8	385 of 673	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2012	41.9	448 of 662	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2011	45.9	416 of 648	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2010	37.9	460 of 640	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	35.9	471 of 630	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	39.2	420 of 620	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2007	35.3	457 of 606	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	5.6	569 of 598	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	99.5	3 of 560	99.5%	★★★★★
2021	54.4	174 of 533	67.4%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	92.6	32 of 731	95.6%	★★★★★
2025	95.1	27 of 733	96.3%	★★★★★
2024	94.3	32 of 738	95.7%	★★★★★
2023	93.9	29 of 731	96.0%	★★★★★
2022	95.7	17 of 733	97.7%	★★★★★
2021	88.0	59 of 706	91.6%	★★★★★
2019	83.3	84 of 684	87.7%	★★★★☆
2018	73.6	154 of 656	76.5%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	96.6	12 of 566	97.9%	★★★★★
2025	98.6	7 of 562	98.8%	★★★★★
2024	99.3	4 of 564	99.3%	★★★★★
2023	99.1	2 of 553	99.6%	★★★★★
2021	96.4	9 of 522	98.3%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	88.3	44 of 725	93.9%	★★★★★
2025	90.6	36 of 729	95.1%	★★★★★
2024	90.5	40 of 743	94.6%	★★★★★
2023	95.0	20 of 735	97.3%	★★★★★
2021	64.4	158 of 633	75.0%	★★★★☆
2019	86.2	39 of 639	93.9%	★★★★★
2018	69.5	132 of 604	78.1%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	93.5	38 of 736	94.8%	★★★★★
2025	94.7	33 of 733	95.5%	★★★★★
2024	94.3	32 of 751	95.7%	★★★★★
2023	94.5	28 of 747	96.3%	★★★★★
2022	84.0	101 of 748	86.5%	★★★★☆
2021	78.8	132 of 711	81.4%	★★★★☆
2019	78.8	121 of 697	82.6%	★★★★☆
2018	69.8	184 of 665	72.3%	★★★★☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	87.2	4 of 67	94.0%	★★★★★
2025	86.3	4 of 64	93.8%	★★★★★
2024	88.6	2 of 58	96.6%	★★★★★
2023	88.8	3 of 54	94.4%	★★★★★
2021	91.3	2 of 57	96.5%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	87.4	56 of 644	91.3%	★★★★★
2025	90.4	45 of 649	93.1%	★★★★★
2024	88.4	63 of 652	90.3%	★★★★★
2023	85.4	82 of 656	87.5%	★★★★☆
2022	87.1	67 of 658	89.8%	★★★★☆
2021	80.0	102 of 632	83.9%	★★★★☆
2019	73.3	151 of 624	75.8%	★★★★☆
2018	66.4	196 of 596	67.1%	★★★☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	37.6	374 of 626	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	84.3	111 of 621	82.1%	★★★★☆
2021	63.0	189 of 594	68.2%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	81.5	114 of 594	80.8%	★★★★☆
2021	73.2	71 of 475	85.1%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	84.2	110 of 585	81.2%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	78.7	119 of 534	77.7%	★★★★☆
2021	71.6	80 of 439	81.8%	★★★★☆
2019	51.7	181 of 444	59.2%	★★★☆☆

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)

Elementary school

Hispanic (2026)99th percentile+9 vs school

Disabled (2021)96th percentile~ school

Male (2026)92nd percentile~ school

Female (2026)89th percentile~ school

White (2026)78th percentile-12 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)77th percentile-13 vs school

Military Connected (2026)70th percentile-20 vs school

Special Education (2026)53rd percentile-36 vs school

African American (2026)41st percentile-49 vs school

Middle school

African American (2024)99th percentile+3 vs school

Hispanic (2026)98th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)96th percentile~ school

Male (2026)95th percentile~ school

Military Connected (2026)94th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)94th percentile~ school

White (2026)91st percentile-4 vs school

High school

Male (2022)81st percentile~ school

Female (2022)81st percentile~ school

White (2022)78th percentile-4 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics85%+25 vs state

Reading80%+24 vs state

Science80%+12 vs state

5.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★2

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, March 29, 2018

I absolutely love STARS. My daughter is just flourishing. Everyone on staff represent the best of us. Caring, Considerate, Kind, and definitely achievement oriented. Great school. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, November 21, 2014

This school is amazing! Class sizes are under 24 where the total child is educated. It is not just about test scores or data collection, it is about meeting the needs of every child through a strong academic foundation, infusion of the arts and a highly talented staff. Close Quote

Schools Near STARS Charter

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				EOG Mathematics (2026)						EOG Reading (2026)						EOG Science (2026)		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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
STARS Charter	Public, Charter	K-8	140 Southern Dunes Dr	Vass	28394	Moore County	Sandhills Theatre Arts Renaiss	Yes	No	No	Yes	(910) 695-1004	885	57	15.6	—	638 (72.1%)	57 (6.4%)	121 (13.7%)	5 (0.6%)	11 (1.2%)	3 (0.3%)	50 (5.6%)	87.3	153^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	89.7%		92.1	80^th of 1490 public elementary schools	94.6%	73	90.7	91.3	65.6	87.6	82.5	90.1	78.4	83.5	68.8	83.5	77.3	86.8	74.0	85.7
McDeeds Creek Elementary	Public	K-5	2953 Camp Easter Rd	Southern Pines	28387	Moore County	Moore County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 722-4248	707	38	18.4	21.1%	525 (74.3%)	40 (5.7%)	88 (12.4%)	5 (0.7%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	45 (6.4%)	88	148^th of 1492 public elementary schools	90.1%		91.5	88^th of 1490 public elementary schools	94.1%	60	90.3	87.5	75.2				76.1	76.8	72.4				77.1
Vass-Lakeview Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	141 James Street	Vass	28394	Moore County	Moore County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 245-3444	511	31	16.7	40.7%	319 (62.4%)	38 (7.4%)	92 (18.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (11.5%)	63.1	534^th of 1492 public elementary schools	64.2%		71.7	366^th of 1490 public elementary schools	75.4%	168	78.0	72.6	52.6				59.8	66.3	51.3				71.1		$10,090	$843	$9,248
Southern Pines Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	115 South Carlisle Street	Southern Pines	28987	Moore County	Moore County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 947-8077	600	37	16.1	—	236 (39.3%)	208 (34.7%)	78 (13.0%)	8 (1.3%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (11.0%)	57.1	624^th of 1492 public elementary schools	58.2%		57.4	603^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	59.5%	21	65.7	63.4	67.7				51.5	62.2	62.6				63.6		$10,663	$1,069	$9,594
Moore Montessori Community School	Public, Charter	K-8	255 S. May Street	Southern Pines	28387	Moore County	Moore Montessori Community School	Yes	No	No	No	(910) 636-1325	259	17	15.5	—	158 (61.0%)	32 (12.4%)	33 (12.7%)	3 (1.2%)	4 (1.5%)	3 (1.2%)	26 (10.0%)	70.2	413^th of 1492 public elementary schools	72.3%		56.8	614^th of 1490 public elementary schools	58.8%	201	67.9	75.8	73.1	53.8	68.0	52.6	64.3	84.8	57.7	53.8	80.0	52.6	69.2	78.9
Sandhills Farm Life Elementary	Public	K-5	2201 Farm Life Rd	Carthage	28327	Moore County	Moore County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 949-2501	379	22	16.8	27.7%	287 (75.7%)	21 (5.5%)	23 (6.1%)	3 (0.8%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	41 (10.8%)	82.7	206^th of 1492 public elementary schools	86.2%		84.5	182^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	87.8%	24	79.7	71.2	79.0				71.3	69.9	71.0				83.9		$8,014	$534	$7,480
Pinehurst Elementary	Public	K-5	100 Dundee Road	Pinehurst	28374	Moore County	Moore County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 295-6969	584	35	16.9	18.7%	433 (74.1%)	37 (6.3%)	49 (8.4%)	20 (3.4%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	41 (7.0%)	94	57^th of 1492 public elementary schools	96.2%		96.6	27^th of 1490 public elementary schools	98.2%	30	89.4	86.0	89.7				74.4	86.8	80.4				90.7		$8,340	$531	$7,809
Cameron Elementary	Public	K-5	2636 NC Hwy 24 27	Cameron	28326	Harnett County	Moore County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 245-7814	215	14	15.6	—	145 (67.4%)	15 (7.0%)	42 (19.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.2%)	55.9	641^st of 1492 public elementary schools	57.0%		52.9	690^th of 1490 public elementary schools	53.7%	49	59.5	57.9	79.3				54.8	55.3	62.1				72.4		$11,016	$911	$10,105
Aberdeen Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	525 Farrell Parkway	Aberdeen	28315	Moore County	Moore County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 947-8030	675	41	16.3	—	224 (33.2%)	199 (29.5%)	146 (21.6%)	12 (1.8%)	10 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	84 (12.4%)	25.2	1182^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	20.8%		25.6	1166^th of 1490 public elementary schools	21.7%	16	35.6	57.1	43.2				45.2	50.5	43.2				54.1		$11,336	$1,569	$9,768
The Academy of Moore County	Public, Charter	K-5	12588 HWY 15-501 South	Aberdeen	28315	Moore County	The Academy of Moore County	Yes	No	No	No	(910) 757-0401	479	29	16.5	—	332 (69.3%)	25 (5.2%)	54 (11.3%)	10 (2.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	56 (11.7%)	87	156^th of 1492 public elementary schools	89.5%		88.5	130^th of 1490 public elementary schools	91.3%	26	89.6	75.0	73.3				86.6	72.2	80.0				80.0

Frequently Asked Questions about STARS Charter

How many students attend STARS Charter?

In the 2024-25 school year, 885 students attended STARS Charter.

What district is STARS Charter in?

Sandhills Theatre Arts Renaiss

Is STARS Charter a good school?

STARS Charter ranks 153^rd of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of STARS Charter?

Students at STARS Charter are 72% White, 14% Hispanic, 6% African American, 6% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

Rate STARS Charter!

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Latest North Carolina data All new data »

2017–18 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 2, 2026

2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 2, 2026

2016–17 through 2024–25 graduation ratesSep 3, 2025

2024–25 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 3, 2025

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.