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Valdese Elementary

Q: Is Valdese Elementary a good school?

Valdese Elementary ranks 623 rd of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

623^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,490 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 58% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Valdese Elementary is a public elementary school serving 524 students in grades PK-5 in Valdese, North Carolina. The school is part of the Burke County Schools district, which is ranked 121 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Valdese Elementary consistently outperforms the Burke County Schools district and the state of North Carolina in mathematics proficiency across grades 3-5, with 69% of 3rd graders, 62.1% of 4th graders, and 61.4% of 5th graders proficient or better in mathematics, compared to 63.5% and 64.1% for the district and state, respectively. The school also excels in 5th grade science, with 70.3% of students proficient or better, compared to 63.6% for the district and 62% for the state. However, the school's reading performance is more mixed, with 3rd grade reading proficiency lagging behind the district and state.

Valdese Elementary's Hispanic students perform exceptionally well, ranking 71 out of 865 North Carolina elementary schools in this subgroup in 2018-2019. In contrast, the school's White students and special education students perform relatively poorly, ranking in the bottom 30% of North Carolina elementary schools in these subgroups. The school's low socioeconomic status (SES) students perform better than the state average, ranking in the top 25% of North Carolina elementary schools in this subgroup. With a relatively low per-student spending of $8,594, Valdese Elementary appears to be using its resources effectively to drive academic achievement, particularly in mathematics and science.

530

Students ?

17.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,594

Per pupil spending ?

99.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

298 Praley Street
Valdese, NC 28690

(828) 874-0704

District: Burke County Schools

Students who attend Valdese Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Heritage Middle
High:	Draughn High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

79.6%

Hispanic:

8.3%

Asian:

4.7%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Valdese Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 78th percentile in 2015 → 58th in 2025

Strengths

✓Above the North Carolina median (58th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 20 percentile points since 2015

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school59%

District avg56%

North Carolina avg57%

623^rd of 1,490

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 42%▼ down 20 pts since 2015

From top 22% (2015) to top 42% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

7^th of 14Elementary Schools in the Burke County Schools

121^st of 242Burke 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
2025	56.5	623 of 1490	58.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.2	502 of 1505	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	65.8	486 of 1502	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	62.6	540 of 1514	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	62.9	520 of 1489	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	76.5	281 of 1473	80.9%	★★★★☆
2018	69.6	415 of 1434	71.1%	★★★★☆
2017	75.9	308 of 1429	78.4%	★★★★☆
2016	70.6	382 of 1425	73.2%	★★★★☆
2015	75.3	319 of 1440	77.8%	★★★★☆
2014	70.0	389 of 1390	72.0%	★★★★☆
2013	76.4	277 of 1403	80.3%	★★★★☆
2012	70.6	392 of 1388	71.8%	★★★★☆
2011	68.4	444 of 1381	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2010	76.3	273 of 1363	80.0%	★★★★☆
2009	73.7	325 of 1354	76.0%	★★★★☆
2008	83.6	143 of 1324	89.2%	★★★★☆
2007	83.2	117 of 1293	91.0%	★★★★★
2006	82.3	143 of 1276	88.8%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2019	56.4	288 of 878	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	32.8	645 of 897	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	52.5	684 of 1451	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	60.8	534 of 1455	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	68.4	409 of 1459	72.0%	★★★★☆
2022	60.3	542 of 1458	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	62.4	476 of 1440	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	84.4	145 of 1424	89.8%	★★★★☆
2018	71.4	371 of 1405	73.6%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	38.0	607 of 710	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	38.0	587 of 669	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	56.1	342 of 582	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	56.4	275 of 500	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	60.7	231 of 494	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	57.0	350 of 612	42.8%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2019	84.5	71 of 865	91.8%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	56.2	554 of 1437	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	63.2	439 of 1450	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	67.4	368 of 1437	74.4%	★★★★☆
2022	65.7	348 of 1366	74.5%	★★★★☆
2021	70.9	241 of 1329	81.9%	★★★★☆
2019	79.4	167 of 1361	87.7%	★★★★☆
2018	76.2	205 of 1332	84.6%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	59.1	564 of 1450	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	65.0	471 of 1464	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	60.5	554 of 1461	62.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	62.3	529 of 1464	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	60.6	535 of 1444	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	63.3	481 of 1430	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	64.4	485 of 1413	65.7%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	37.8	499 of 821	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	25.3	682 of 801	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	36.3	812 of 1172	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	43.8	705 of 1166	39.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	43.5	705 of 1183	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	46.6	658 of 1194	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	42.8	685 of 1172	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	59.2	479 of 1183	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.7	601 of 1178	49.0%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Hispanic (2019)92nd percentile+11 vs school

Disabled (2019)67th percentile-14 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)61st percentile+3 vs school

Male (2025)61st percentile+3 vs school

Female (2025)53rd percentile-5 vs school

Special Education (2025)39th percentile-19 vs school

White (2025)31st percentile-27 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2025)15th percentile-44 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Science70%+8 vs state

Mathematics64%+3 vs state

Reading49%-3 vs state

★

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Schools Near Valdese Elementary

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
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	99.4%	422 (79.6%)	11 (2.1%)	44 (8.3%)	25 (4.7%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	24 (4.5%)	56.5	623^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	58.2%		64.2	502^nd of 1505 public elementary schools	66.6%	121	69.0	62.1	61.4				35.6	59.8	51.5				70.3		$8,594	$1,111	$7,483
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	98.7%	316 (66.2%)	23 (4.8%)	55 (11.5%)	41 (8.6%)	4 (0.8%)	3 (0.6%)	35 (7.3%)	51	733^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	50.8%		66.1	473^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	68.6%	260	56.1	63.9	46.5				54.5	48.6	49.3				74.6		$9,435	$1,433	$8,002
Baton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1400 Baton School Road	Granite Falls	28630	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 728-9531	357	23	15.4	99.2%	303 (84.9%)	6 (1.7%)	29 (8.1%)	3 (0.8%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.9%)	60	564^th of 1490 public elementary schools	62.1%		60.8	568^th of 1505 public elementary schools	62.3%	4	68.0	62.7	56.9				52.0	58.8	52.3				70.8		$9,953	$1,175	$8,778
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	98.9%	188 (70.9%)	1 (0.4%)	32 (12.1%)	32 (12.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.5%)	58.5	588^th of 1490 public elementary schools	60.5%		63.1	523^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	65.2%	65	68.9	74.4	62.8				51.1	59.0	37.2				65.1		$9,629	$1,361	$8,268
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	98.6%	203 (69.8%)	8 (2.7%)	48 (16.5%)	13 (4.5%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.8%)	64	499^th of 1490 public elementary schools	66.5%		78.5	272^nd of 1505 public elementary schools	81.9%	227	58.7	78.1	73.1				30.4	65.6	67.3				69.2		$11,063	$1,857	$9,205
Hillcrest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	201 Tennessee Street	Morganton	28655	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 437-4258	254	18	14.0	97.6%	38 (15.0%)	17 (6.7%)	182 (71.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.7%)	25.1	1181^st of 1490 public elementary schools	20.7%		25.7	1184^th of 1505 public elementary schools	21.3%	3	52.9	42.2	57.1				32.4	37.8	40.5				42.9		$11,197	$1,694	$9,503
Sawmills Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4436 Sawmills School Road	Granite Falls	28630	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 396-2610	351	20	17.2	99.1%	272 (77.5%)	7 (2.0%)	46 (13.1%)	5 (1.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.7%)	36.5	973^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	34.7%		33.8	1033^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	31.4%	60	59.6	38.6	52.9				42.3	45.5	45.1				58.8		$11,245	$974	$10,271
New Dimensions	Public, Charter	K-8	550 Lenoir Road	Morganton	28655	Burke County	The New Dimensions School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(828) 437-5753	569	39	14.7	33.0%	500 (87.9%)	21 (3.7%)	13 (2.3%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (5.4%)	58.1	596^th of 1490 public elementary schools	60.0%		58.5	608^th of 1505 public elementary schools	59.6%	12	76.6	62.7	46.4	56.9	60.4	66.7	57.8	56.7	48.2	60.0	73.6	70.8	60.7	72.9
Mountain View Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	805 Bouchelle St	Morganton	28655	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 437-1584	762	52	14.5	97.8%	287 (37.7%)	58 (7.6%)	346 (45.4%)	12 (1.6%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	56 (7.3%)	28.6	1107^th of 1490 public elementary schools	25.7%		34.7	1015^th of 1505 public elementary schools	32.6%	92	55.0	54.1	44.9				25.2	45.9	41.1				52.3		$9,734	$1,324	$8,410
Forest Hill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	304 Ann Street	Morganton	28655	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 437-5906	305	19	15.8	99.0%	78 (25.6%)	25 (8.2%)	175 (57.4%)	7 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (6.6%)	23.1	1217^th of 1490 public elementary schools	18.3%		22.3	1239^th of 1505 public elementary schools	17.7%	22	46.3	35.7	43.2				26.8	45.2	40.9				56.8		$10,628	$1,562	$9,066

Frequently Asked Questions about Valdese Elementary

Is Valdese Elementary a good school?

Valdese Elementary ranks 623^rd of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Valdese Elementary?

Students at Valdese Elementary are 80% White, 8% Hispanic, 5% Asian, 5% Two or more races, 2% African American.

What schools do graduates of Valdese Elementary attend?

Students who attend Valdese Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Heritage Middle
High : Draughn High School

What district is Valdese Elementary in?

Burke County Schools

How many students attend Valdese Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 530 students attended Valdese Elementary.

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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.