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The Arts Based School

Q: Is The Arts Based School a good school?

The Arts Based School ranks 497 th of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades K-8

497^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,490 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 67% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

The Arts Based School is a public charter elementary school serving 611 students in grades K-8 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. As part of the highly-ranked Arts Based School District, the school has a strong performance history, consistently ranking in the top third of North Carolina elementary schools over the past decade.

The Arts Based School stands out for its exceptional academic achievement, outperforming the state average in both math and reading proficiency across all grade levels. In 2024-2025, the school's 7th and 8th grade math proficiency rates were 88.5% and 72.3%, respectively, compared to the state averages of 53.5% and 48.7%. The school's reading proficiency rates in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades were also significantly higher than the state. Additionally, the school's 5th and 8th grade science proficiency rates were 88.1% and 89.1%, well above the state averages.

Compared to nearby schools, The Arts Based School outperforms most in the Winston Salem/Forsyth County district, particularly in math and reading. High-performing schools like Whitaker Elementary and The Downtown School are the closest competitors, while some nearby schools struggle to match The Arts Based School's exceptional results.

663

Students ?

13.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

10%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1380 Martin Luther King Jr Dr
Winston Salem, NC 27101

(336) 748-4116

District: Arts Based School

Racial breakdown:

White:

61.5%

African American:

20.4%

Two or more races:

8.9%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare The Arts Based School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 77th percentile in 2015 → 67th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (68% vs 56% meeting standards)

✓Above the North Carolina median (67th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 10 percentile points since 2015

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school68%

North Carolina avg56%

Elementary school

497^th of 1,490

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 33%▼ down 10 pts since 2015

From top 23% (2015) to top 33% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

69^th of 773

North Carolina public middle schools ?

Top 9%▲ up 3 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

26^th of 242Arts Based School 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
2025	64.1	497 of 1490	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	68.3	438 of 1505	70.9%	★★★★☆
2023	77.0	288 of 1502	80.8%	★★★★☆
2022	68.2	432 of 1514	71.5%	★★★★☆
2021	79.2	256 of 1489	82.8%	★★★★☆
2019	72.1	366 of 1473	75.2%	★★★★☆
2018	66.1	485 of 1434	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2017	70.2	399 of 1429	72.1%	★★★★☆
2016	76.8	284 of 1425	80.1%	★★★★☆
2015	74.5	331 of 1440	77.0%	★★★★☆
2014	79.9	239 of 1390	82.8%	★★★★☆
2013	84.8	162 of 1403	88.5%	★★★★☆
2012	59.5	615 of 1388	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2011	61.6	587 of 1381	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2010	40.0	932 of 1363	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2009	55.6	690 of 1354	49.0%	★★☆☆☆
2008	35.7	921 of 1324	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2007	39.3	901 of 1293	30.3%	★★☆☆☆
2006	29.9	1009 of 1276	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	37.0	607 of 918	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	38.1	603 of 924	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	9.4	920 of 927	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	42.6	469 of 896	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.4	497 of 949	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	34.2	662 of 927	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2021	68.9	106 of 646	83.6%	★★★★☆
2019	56.9	281 of 878	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	57.7	301 of 897	66.4%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	65.8	434 of 1451	70.1%	★★★★☆
2024	71.6	342 of 1455	76.5%	★★★★☆
2023	79.6	219 of 1459	85.0%	★★★★☆
2022	68.3	404 of 1458	72.3%	★★★★☆
2021	72.5	322 of 1440	77.6%	★★★★☆
2019	62.5	512 of 1424	64.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	56.3	647 of 1405	54.0%	★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2019	43.2	525 of 612	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	51.9	448 of 961	53.4%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	52.8	632 of 1437	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	39.3	930 of 1450	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	61.9	460 of 1437	68.0%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	59.7	552 of 1450	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	60.6	552 of 1464	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	69.9	379 of 1461	74.1%	★★★★☆
2022	67.1	435 of 1464	70.3%	★★★★☆
2021	82.3	205 of 1444	85.8%	★★★★☆
2019	78.8	235 of 1430	83.6%	★★★★☆
2018	77.0	255 of 1413	82.0%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	91.7	10 of 154	93.5%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	51.5	316 of 821	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	77.7	82 of 801	89.8%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	63.1	412 of 1172	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	65.5	375 of 1166	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	67.0	358 of 1183	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.6	418 of 1194	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	74.2	259 of 1172	77.9%	★★★★☆
2019	69.1	329 of 1183	72.2%	★★★★☆
2018	68.1	367 of 1178	68.8%	★★★☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	88.1	69 of 773	91.1%	★★★★★
2024	87.1	86 of 793	89.2%	★★★★☆
2023	86.4	87 of 784	88.9%	★★★★☆
2022	74.6	172 of 786	78.1%	★★★★☆
2021	82.7	101 of 741	86.4%	★★★★☆
2019	83.3	97 of 737	86.8%	★★★★☆
2018	81.5	98 of 691	85.8%	★★★★☆
2017	86.2	61 of 694	91.2%	★★★★★
2016	81.1	100 of 692	85.5%	★★★★☆
2015	85.4	81 of 705	88.5%	★★★★☆
2014	85.6	68 of 627	89.2%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	45.0	286 of 560	48.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	68.5	116 of 559	79.2%	★★★★☆
2022	43.2	283 of 550	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	57.4	148 of 533	72.2%	★★★★☆
2019	63.4	123 of 519	76.3%	★★★★☆
2018	63.6	124 of 494	74.9%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	85.8	75 of 733	89.8%	★★★★☆
2024	83.5	102 of 738	86.2%	★★★★☆
2023	85.5	87 of 731	88.1%	★★★★☆
2022	70.7	189 of 733	74.2%	★★★★☆
2021	73.7	160 of 706	77.3%	★★★★☆
2019	75.9	144 of 684	78.9%	★★★★☆
2018	77.5	123 of 656	81.3%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2019	38.1	351 of 416	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	77.6	98 of 729	86.6%	★★★★☆
2023	87.3	44 of 735	94.0%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	87.5	70 of 733	90.5%	★★★★★
2024	88.6	67 of 751	91.1%	★★★★★
2023	85.4	88 of 747	88.2%	★★★★☆
2022	75.6	157 of 748	79.0%	★★★★☆
2021	87.9	64 of 711	91.0%	★★★★★
2019	86.6	68 of 697	90.2%	★★★★★
2018	83.4	75 of 665	88.7%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	86.5	72 of 649	88.9%	★★★★☆
2024	86.3	71 of 652	89.1%	★★★★☆
2023	82.5	101 of 656	84.6%	★★★★☆
2022	83.6	90 of 658	86.3%	★★★★☆
2021	79.9	104 of 632	83.5%	★★★★☆
2019	84.8	77 of 624	87.7%	★★★★☆
2018	73.4	132 of 596	77.9%	★★★★☆

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

Multi-racial (2023)94th percentile+13 vs school

Disabled (2021)84th percentile~ school

Female (2025)70th percentile+3 vs school

White (2025)65th percentile~ school

Male (2025)62nd percentile-5 vs school

Special Education (2025)62nd percentile-5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)56th percentile-11 vs school

Hispanic (2025)53rd percentile-13 vs school

African American (2025)34th percentile-33 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2019)14th percentile-61 vs school

Middle school

Male (2025)90th percentile~ school

Female (2025)90th percentile~ school

White (2025)89th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)87th percentile-5 vs school

African American (2024)49th percentile-40 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2019)16th percentile-71 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Science89%+27 vs state

Reading68%+15 vs state

Mathematics62%+5 vs state

3.5

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★1

1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, January 15, 2018

We loved this school... until we had an issue with a teacher and a school process. The school administration and Board of Directors and were entirely non-helpful. After researching our issue, I distributed materials to the Board and was allowed a few minutes to speak during a board meeting - during which time most of the attendees were looking down at their phones and not paying a bit of attention. I sent multiple follow-up emails... and no response. The issue was not resolved. The school administration thinks they are above reproach. My recommendation to other parents: proceed with caution. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, March 15, 2013

We adore The Arts Based School. We have two children there and have watched them both blossom emotionally and academically in this wonderful, unique and innovative learning environment. The teachers are amazing, and you couldn't ask for a more engaged, capable or caring principal and staff. There is a true sense of community among ABS families as well that makes it such a special place. My advice to anyone who is wanting something more for their child than teaching to the test, being stressed about unending, pointless homework or anxiety over being timed in math drills is to TAKE A TOUR at ABS (call for an appt. the tours are given each Thursday morning). You really will be amazed at their curriculum and what this school offers its students! Close Quote

Schools Near The Arts Based School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOG Mathematics (2025)						EOG Reading (2025)						EOG Science (2025)		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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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
The Arts Based School	Public, Charter	K-8	1380 Martin Luther King Jr Dr	Winston Salem	27101	Forsyth County	Arts Based School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(336) 748-4116	663	49	13.5		408 (61.5%)	135 (20.4%)	58 (8.7%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (8.9%)	64.1	497^th of 1490 public elementary schools	66.6%		68.3	438^th of 1505 public elementary schools	70.9%	59	42.1	63.9	64.4	60.0	88.5	72.3	54.3	62.3	66.1	76.4	86.5	72.3	88.1	89.1
The Downtown School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	601 N Cherry Street	Winston Salem	27101	Forsyth County	Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(336) 703-4125	453	35	13.0	24.9%	211 (46.6%)	154 (34.0%)	41 (9.1%)	8 (1.8%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	36 (7.9%)	84.7	180^th of 1490 public elementary schools	87.9%		80.2	239^th of 1505 public elementary schools	84.1%	59	88.4	71.1	79.5	81.8	58.1	77.3	74.4	57.8	72.7	91.1	53.5	82.2	70.5	84.4	$11,387	$620	$10,767
Cook Literacy Model School	Public	PK, KG-5	920 11th Street NW	Winston Salem	27105	Forsyth County	Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(336) 703-4201	228	20	11.4	98.7%	6 (2.6%)	168 (73.7%)	47 (20.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.1%)	25.1	1182^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	20.7%		30.7	1086^th of 1505 public elementary schools	27.8%	96	42.1	57.6	48.8				13.2	42.4	35.7				56.1		$15,706	$2,747	$12,959
Kimberley Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1700 Old Cherry Street	Winston Salem	27105	Forsyth County	Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(336) 703-6731	332	29	11.3	99.1%	8 (2.4%)	254 (76.5%)	57 (17.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.9%)	22.3	1239^th of 1490 public elementary schools	16.8%		14.4	1370^th of 1505 public elementary schools	9.0%	131	47.4	26.2	41.0				26.3	42.9	38.5				64.1		$14,902	$3,465	$11,437
Brunson Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	155 N Hawthorne Road	Winston Salem	27104	Forsyth County	Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(336) 703-4206	355	29	12.3	99.2%	107 (30.1%)	147 (41.4%)	71 (20.0%)	7 (2.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.2%)	52.6	701^st of 1490 public elementary schools	53.0%		51.4	723^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	52.0%	22	44.7	62.9	57.1				44.7	67.7	57.1				65.1		$9,861	$976	$8,885
Ashley Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1647 Ashley School Circle	Winston Salem	27105	Forsyth County	Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(336) 703-4203	348	30	11.6	99.1%	6 (1.7%)	133 (38.2%)	203 (58.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.4%)	8.9	1436^th of 1490 public elementary schools	3.6%		5.2	1481^st of 1505 public elementary schools	1.6%	45	31.0	31.6	46.4				21.1	22.8	21.4				37.5		$12,584	$2,585	$10,000
Diggs-Latham Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	986 Hutton Street	Winston Salem	27101	Forsyth County	Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(336) 703-4102	385	37	10.4	99.2%	31 (8.1%)	154 (40.0%)	186 (48.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.6%)	37.9	951^st of 1490 public elementary schools	36.2%		32.9	1049^th of 1505 public elementary schools	30.3%	98	66.1	52.5	57.6				46.4	45.8	33.9				47.5		$13,182	$2,117	$11,065
Childrens Center	Public	PK, KG-5	2315 Coliseum Drive	Winston Salem	27106	Forsyth County	Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools	No	No	No	No	(336) 727-2440	83	13	6.1	96.4%	22 (26.5%)	34 (41.0%)	23 (27.7%)	2 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.4%)								(n/a)															$38,700	$4,652	$34,048
Whitaker Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2600 Buena Vista Road	Winston Salem	27104	Forsyth County	Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools	No	No	No	No	(336) 703-6740	490	32	15.1	25.5%	350 (71.4%)	76 (15.5%)	37 (7.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.1%)	93.1	72^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	95.2%		92.7	74^th of 1505 public elementary schools	95.1%	2	87.7	76.8	86.2				75.4	77.9	85.1				88.5		$9,221	$473	$8,748
Moore Magnet Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	451 Knollwood Street	Winston Salem	27103	Forsyth County	Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(336) 727-2860	450	34	13.3	99.3%	93 (20.7%)	247 (54.9%)	65 (14.4%)	9 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (7.6%)	35.4	991^st of 1490 public elementary schools	33.5%		39.6	938^th of 1505 public elementary schools	37.7%	53	56.0	46.2	53.8				36.0	48.4	46.3				57.5		$10,512	$1,383	$9,128

Frequently Asked Questions about The Arts Based School

What district is The Arts Based School in?

Arts Based School

How many students attend The Arts Based School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 663 students attended The Arts Based School.

Is The Arts Based School a good school?

The Arts Based School ranks 497^th of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of The Arts Based School?

Students at The Arts Based School are 62% White, 20% African American, 9% Two or more races, 9% Hispanic.

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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.