Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

George Hildebrand Elementary

Q: Is George Hildebrand Elementary a good school?

George Hildebrand Elementary ranks 458 th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

458^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 69% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

George Hildebrand Elementary is a PK-5 public school in Connelly Springs, NC, serving 327 students in the Burke County Schools district. Over the past decade, the school has generally ranked in the upper half of North Carolina elementary schools, earning 3 stars and a 69th-percentile statewide ranking for 2025-2026 after a 4-star, 80th-percentile finish the year before. It serves a highly economically disadvantaged population — nearly 98.5% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch — though that is common in this part of Burke County, where most surrounding schools exceed 95%.

George Hildebrand's clearest strength is upper-grade reading. In 2025-2026, 4th-grade reading proficiency reached 76.8% and 5th-grade reading hit 63.2% — both well above district and state averages and the highest among nearby elementary schools. Its 2024-2025 5th-grade class was exceptional, too, posting 87% proficiency in math, 80.4% in reading, and 82.6% in science. The school also shines with high-need students: economically disadvantaged students ranked in the 89th percentile statewide in 2025-2026, and special education students reached the 84th percentile in 2023-2024. A student-teacher ratio of 14.7 — lower than at most neighboring schools — is another plus.

The one soft spot is 3rd-grade reading, which fell below district and state averages in 2025-2026 after topping both in earlier years. With only about 50-60 students per grade, scores can swing sharply, so longer-term trends matter more than any single-year result. Chronic absenteeism has improved dramatically, dropping from 34.9% in 2021-2022 to 13.7% in 2024-2025 — below the district and state rates. A few nearby schools, including Icard Elementary, Mountain View Elementary, and Drexel Elementary, currently rank a bit higher overall, but none matches George Hildebrand's combination of strong upper-grade reading and consistent success with economically disadvantaged students.

327

Students ?

14.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

Community Eligibility

All students receive free meals (2024-25) ?

8078 G Hildebrand Sch Road
Connelly Springs, NC 28612

(828) 879-9595

District: Burke County Schools

Students who attend George Hildebrand Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	East Burke Middle
High:	East Burke High

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.7%

Two or more races:

5.2%

Asian:

3.7%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare George Hildebrand Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 80th percentile in 2025 → 69th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (67% vs 61% meeting standards)

✓Above the North Carolina median (69th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 80th-percentile peak (2025) to 69th (2026)

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school67%

District avg62%

North Carolina avg61%

458^th of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 31%▲ up 12 pts since 2016

From top 43% (2016) to top 31% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

83^rd of 246Burke County Schools 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)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	67.8	458 of 1492	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	77.1	291 of 1490	80.5%	★★★★☆
2024	66.5	462 of 1505	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	70.8	395 of 1502	73.7%	★★★★☆
2022	63.9	520 of 1514	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	52.0	685 of 1489	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	64.6	494 of 1473	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	68.9	426 of 1434	70.3%	★★★★☆
2017	60.0	577 of 1429	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	56.7	606 of 1425	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2015	52.4	707 of 1440	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2014	69.9	393 of 1390	71.7%	★★★★☆
2013	74.5	303 of 1403	78.4%	★★★★☆
2012	79.2	228 of 1388	83.6%	★★★★☆
2011	75.1	291 of 1381	78.9%	★★★★☆
2010	79.1	215 of 1363	84.2%	★★★★☆
2009	75.2	290 of 1354	78.6%	★★★★☆
2008	69.7	354 of 1324	73.3%	★★★★☆
2007	53.5	679 of 1293	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2006	41.3	851 of 1276	33.3%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	61.9	153 of 634	75.9%	★★★★☆
2021	34.3	430 of 646	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	51.1	370 of 897	58.8%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	75.2	287 of 1447	80.2%	★★★★☆
2025	77.2	257 of 1451	82.3%	★★★★☆
2024	56.5	610 of 1455	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	69.4	394 of 1459	73.0%	★★★★☆
2022	58.6	580 of 1458	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	46.3	728 of 1440	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	62.6	510 of 1424	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.6	451 of 1405	67.9%	★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	58.2	378 of 743	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	70.7	73 of 710	89.7%	★★★★☆
2024	70.6	31 of 669	95.4%	★★★★★
2021	66.8	160 of 494	67.6%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	80.1	160 of 1434	88.8%	★★★★☆
2025	83.4	109 of 1437	92.4%	★★★★★
2024	76.7	207 of 1450	85.7%	★★★★☆
2023	85.7	90 of 1437	93.7%	★★★★★
2022	74.1	221 of 1366	83.8%	★★★★☆
2021	71.7	235 of 1329	82.3%	★★★★☆
2019	82.8	124 of 1361	90.9%	★★★★★
2018	76.8	191 of 1332	85.7%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	56.1	618 of 1451	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	73.8	323 of 1450	77.7%	★★★★☆
2024	74.4	312 of 1464	78.7%	★★★★☆
2023	68.9	398 of 1461	72.8%	★★★★☆
2022	66.8	441 of 1464	69.9%	★★★★☆
2021	54.5	620 of 1444	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	63.7	475 of 1430	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	69.1	404 of 1413	71.4%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	70.8	128 of 801	84.0%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	49.6	605 of 1146	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	60.1	445 of 1172	62.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	51.2	589 of 1166	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	60.9	446 of 1183	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	49.5	619 of 1194	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	36.7	772 of 1172	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	47.2	657 of 1183	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	50.7	628 of 1178	46.7%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)89th percentile+20 vs school

Special Education (2024)84th percentile+15 vs school

Female (2026)80th percentile+11 vs school

Disabled (2022)76th percentile+10 vs school

Male (2026)57th percentile-12 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)49th percentile-20 vs school

White (2026)47th percentile-22 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science75%+8 vs state

Mathematics68%+4 vs state

Reading64%+8 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate George Hildebrand Elementary and help other families decide.

Rate George Hildebrand Elementary

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near George Hildebrand Elementary

Load more schools when map is moved

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 Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
George Hildebrand Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	8078 G Hildebrand Sch Road	Connelly Springs	28612	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 879-9595	327	22	14.7	—	277 (84.7%)	1 (0.3%)	11 (3.4%)	12 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.8%)	17 (5.2%)	67.8	458^th of 1492 public elementary schools	69.3%		77.1	291^st of 1490 public elementary schools	80.5%	167	67.3	69.6	66.7		51.0	76.8	63.2		75.4	$10,687	$1,383	$9,305
Banoak Elementary	Public	K-6	7651 W NC 10 Hwy	Vale	28168	Lincoln County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 462-2849	291	17	16.6	—	230 (79.0%)	5 (1.7%)	25 (8.6%)	9 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (7.6%)	59.7	589^th of 1492 public elementary schools	60.5%		65	485^th of 1490 public elementary schools	67.4%	104	67.7	62.3	68.4	56.5	58.1	69.8	47.4	54.3	76.3	$9,603	$1,411	$8,191
Icard Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3087 Icard School Road	Connelly Springs	28612	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 397-3491	265	21	12.7	—	188 (70.9%)	1 (0.4%)	32 (12.1%)	32 (12.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.5%)	76.6	290^th of 1492 public elementary schools	80.6%		58.5	588^th of 1490 public elementary schools	60.5%	298	81.6	72.1	76.9		68.4	60.5	61.5		82.1	$9,629	$1,361	$8,268
Hildebran Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	703 US Hwy 70 West	Hildebran	28637	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 397-3181	297	16	18.5	96.0%	225 (75.8%)	1 (0.3%)	23 (7.7%)	28 (9.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	19 (6.4%)	56.7	630^th of 1492 public elementary schools	57.8%		53.2	687^th of 1490 public elementary schools	53.9%	57	56.5	63.0	61.0		54.3	69.6	51.2		80.5	$10,444	$1,872	$8,572
Mountain View Elementary	Public	K-6	5911 Dwayne Starnes Road	Hickory	28602	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 294-2020	708	40	17.5	—	475 (67.1%)	33 (4.7%)	54 (7.6%)	74 (10.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	71 (10.0%)	75.7	306^th of 1492 public elementary schools	79.5%		79.6	250^th of 1490 public elementary schools	83.2%	56	84.0	77.0	70.4	80.0	63.8	68.0	60.9	60.0	73.9	$8,895	$775	$8,120
Valdese Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	298 Praley Street	Valdese	28690	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 874-0704	530	30	17.8	—	422 (79.6%)	11 (2.1%)	44 (8.3%)	25 (4.7%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	24 (4.5%)	59.4	593^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	60.3%		56.5	623^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	58.2%	30	62.2	53.3	78.7		62.2	45.6	60.6		81.9	$8,594	$1,111	$7,483
Southwest Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	1580 32nd Street SW	Hickory	28602	Catawba County	Hickory City Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 324-8884	292	22	13.4	—	91 (31.2%)	75 (25.7%)	73 (25.0%)	23 (7.9%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.7%)	27 (9.2%)								(n/a)										$10,139	$1,799	$8,340
Ray Childers Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1183 Cape Hickory Road	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 324-1340	460	29	15.7	—	304 (66.1%)	6 (1.3%)	58 (12.6%)	61 (13.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	30 (6.5%)	65.5	497^th of 1492 public elementary schools	66.7%		64.9	487^th of 1490 public elementary schools	67.3%	10	65.2	74.0	79.7		55.1	57.1	57.8		78.1	$10,027	$1,439	$8,588
Drexel Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	100 Alta Vista Street	Morganton	28655	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 437-3160	477	29	16.4	—	316 (66.2%)	23 (4.8%)	55 (11.5%)	41 (8.6%)	4 (0.8%)	3 (0.6%)	35 (7.3%)	72.2	375^th of 1492 public elementary schools	74.9%		51	733^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	50.8%	358	75.3	76.2	66.2		62.4	74.6	57.4		75.0	$9,435	$1,433	$8,002
Mull Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1140 Old NC 18 South	Morganton	28655	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 437-5785	291	20	14.2	—	203 (69.8%)	8 (2.7%)	48 (16.5%)	13 (4.5%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.8%)	51.9	694^th of 1492 public elementary schools	53.5%		64	499^th of 1490 public elementary schools	66.5%	195	63.6	49.0	81.1		47.7	47.1	62.2		83.8	$11,063	$1,857	$9,205

Frequently Asked Questions about George Hildebrand Elementary

What district is George Hildebrand Elementary in?

Burke County Schools

Is George Hildebrand Elementary a good school?

George Hildebrand Elementary ranks 458^th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend George Hildebrand Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 327 students attended George Hildebrand Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of George Hildebrand Elementary?

Students at George Hildebrand Elementary are 85% White, 5% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 3% Hispanic, 3% Pacific Islander.

What schools do graduates of George Hildebrand Elementary attend?

Students who attend George Hildebrand Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : East Burke Middle
High : East Burke High

Rate George Hildebrand Elementary!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NCNorth Carolina Elementary School Rankings

NCNorth Carolina District Rankings

Schools in Connelly Springs, NC

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for George Hildebrand Elementary!

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.