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Union Elementary

Q: Is Union Elementary a good school?

Union Elementary ranks 760 th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

760^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 49% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Union Elementary in Shelby, NC, is a pre-K through 5th grade school serving about 413 students in Cleveland County Schools. Like most nearby elementary schools, Union serves a high-poverty population, with over 99% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Overall, the school ranks in the middle of North Carolina elementary schools, near the 49th percentile in the most recent school year. Attendance is a clear bright spot: chronic absenteeism has dropped from 26.3% to 19.4% over three years, putting Union Elementary below both district and state averages.

The biggest academic pattern at Union is the gap between math and reading. Across grades 3-5, roughly 69% of students reach proficiency in math, but only about 47% do in reading. Math is genuinely strong in the upper grades: 5th graders hit 75.3% math proficiency, well above the state's 62.9% average. Reading, however, trails in every grade. Only 43.8% of 5th graders are proficient in reading versus 55.3% statewide, and 3rd and 4th grade reading results also fall short of both state and district benchmarks. Science, once a strength, has slipped as well, dropping from 76.4% just two years ago to 64.4% now, which is below the state average and below the district's 73.1%.

Union compares well with some nearby schools but sits behind a cluster of similar ones. Casar Elementary, Ellenboro Elementary School, Sunshine Elementary School, Springmore Elementary, and Boiling Springs Elementary all serve families with similar poverty levels and rank between the 83rd and 95th percentiles statewide; Union is at the 49th percentile, essentially tied with Washington Elementary. Union does outperform Elizabeth Elementary and James Love Elementary. The picture that emerges is a school that teaches math effectively, especially in grades 4 and 5, but for which literacy is the central barrier to a higher rating. Attendance is improving and low-income student outcomes are above the state average for similar students, so the most promising next step is likely strengthening reading instruction while keeping the math approaches that are clearly working.

413

Students ?

13.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

99.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1440 Union Church Road
Shelby, NC 28150-9009

(704) 476-8250

District: Cleveland County Schools

Students who attend Union Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Burns Middle
High:	Burns High
	Cleveland ECHS

Racial breakdown:

White:

60.0%

African American:

23.0%

Two or more races:

9.7%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Union Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 37th percentile in 2017 → 49th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 49th (2026) from a 37th-percentile low (2017)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school59%

District avg65%

North Carolina avg61%

760^th of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 49%▼ down 13 pts since 2016

From top 38% (2016) to bottom 49% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

82^nd of 246Cleveland 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	48.5	760 of 1492	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	56.9	613 of 1490	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	52.7	704 of 1505	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	41.3	907 of 1502	39.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	54.3	671 of 1514	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	42.9	825 of 1489	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	41.1	902 of 1473	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	43.1	871 of 1434	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2017	40.4	907 of 1429	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2016	61.3	538 of 1425	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2015	49.3	763 of 1440	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2014	59.7	541 of 1390	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	52.7	613 of 1403	56.3%	★★★☆☆
2012	72.6	355 of 1388	74.4%	★★★★☆
2011	66.6	476 of 1381	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2010	68.1	434 of 1363	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2009	71.0	376 of 1354	72.2%	★★★★☆
2008	55.9	621 of 1324	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2007	67.2	403 of 1293	68.8%	★★★☆☆
2006	71.7	314 of 1276	75.4%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	51.2	402 of 903	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	47.7	460 of 918	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.7	241 of 924	73.9%	★★★★☆
2023	21.7	810 of 933	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	39.3	555 of 927	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	58.1	262 of 896	70.8%	★★★★☆
2019	53.1	398 of 949	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	51.0	431 of 927	53.5%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	52.6	224 of 634	64.7%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	54.6	637 of 1447	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	63.2	485 of 1451	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	52.7	669 of 1455	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.8	792 of 1459	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	57.2	600 of 1458	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	36.3	890 of 1440	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	36.7	960 of 1424	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.3	759 of 1405	46.0%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	24.8	702 of 743	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	70.7	101 of 710	85.8%	★★★★☆
2024	55.5	381 of 669	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	23.9	555 of 582	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	61.6	221 of 500	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	60.4	237 of 494	52.0%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	54.2	607 of 1434	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	74.1	240 of 1437	83.3%	★★★★☆
2024	63.2	437 of 1450	69.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.1	695 of 1437	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	60.8	432 of 1366	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	50.4	576 of 1329	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	49.9	682 of 1361	49.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	65.0	396 of 1332	70.3%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	43.6	831 of 1451	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	49.4	734 of 1450	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	51.9	709 of 1464	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	36.7	974 of 1461	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	51.2	702 of 1464	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	49.2	697 of 1444	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	46.3	806 of 1430	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.3	925 of 1413	34.5%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	43.4	409 of 815	49.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	42.5	433 of 821	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	50.9	308 of 801	61.5%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	33.0	854 of 1146	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	44.1	697 of 1172	40.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.5	834 of 1166	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.5	905 of 1183	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	42.3	718 of 1194	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	23.9	964 of 1172	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	26.8	974 of 1183	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	29.4	947 of 1178	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Disabled (2022)65th percentile+9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)58th percentile+9 vs school

Female (2026)56th percentile+7 vs school

African American (2026)55th percentile+6 vs school

Special Education (2026)50th percentile~ school

Male (2026)43rd percentile-6 vs school

White (2026)25th percentile-24 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)6th percentile-44 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics69%+6 vs state

Science64%-3 vs state

Reading47%-9 vs state

★

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Schools Near Union Elementary

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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/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	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 Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Union Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1440 Union Church Road	Shelby	28150	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8250	413	30	13.6	99.3%	248 (60.0%)	95 (23.0%)	27 (6.5%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (9.7%)	48.5	760^th of 1492 public elementary schools	49.1%		56.9	613^th of 1490 public elementary schools	58.9%	147	63.8	68.4	75.3	46.4	50.9	43.8	64.4	$10,135	$1,538	$8,597
Fallston Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	112 Gary Street	Fallston	28042	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8240	502	36	13.8	99.4%	374 (74.5%)	54 (10.8%)	41 (8.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.4%)	66.3	483^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	67.6%		54	670^th of 1490 public elementary schools	55.0%	187	78.7	64.8	71.2	62.3	62.6	46.6	82.2	$9,874	$1,550	$8,324
Casar Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	436 School House Road	Casar	28020	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8255	275	19	14.2	98.9%	238 (86.5%)	7 (2.5%)	23 (8.4%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.5%)	92.4	80^th of 1492 public elementary schools	94.6%		82.5	206^th of 1490 public elementary schools	86.2%	126	83.0	92.9	91.7	76.6	73.8	77.1	93.8	$11,433	$1,395	$10,038
Springmore Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	616 McBrayer Homestead Road	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8235	618	41	15.1	99.5%	445 (72.0%)	77 (12.5%)	63 (10.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (5.2%)	81.4	224^th of 1492 public elementary schools	85.0%		82.2	212^th of 1490 public elementary schools	85.8%	12	80.2	76.6	86.1	62.0	66.0	65.2	88.7	$9,568	$1,145	$8,422
Jefferson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1166 Wyke Road	Shelby	28150	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8390	439	30	14.6	99.3%	166 (37.8%)	196 (44.6%)	32 (7.3%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (9.6%)	75	323^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	78.4%		68.6	412^th of 1490 public elementary schools	72.3%	89	84.7	71.4	70.5	68.2	61.0	60.7	77.0	$10,297	$1,501	$8,795
James Love Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	309 James Love Road	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8385	376	30	12.3	98.7%	92 (24.5%)	198 (52.7%)	56 (14.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (7.4%)	35.3	996^th of 1492 public elementary schools	33.2%		20.3	1276^th of 1490 public elementary schools	14.4%	280	49.2	61.1	54.9	36.5	48.1	52.9	66.7	$12,191	$1,637	$10,553
Ellenboro Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	813 Piney Mountain Church Rd	Ellenboro	28040	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 453-8185	567	30	18.7	97.4%	437 (77.1%)	36 (6.3%)	42 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (9.2%)	84.1	188^th of 1492 public elementary schools	87.4%		85.7	163^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	89.1%	25	88.0	83.5	82.1	62.6	80.0	60.3	83.3	$9,921	$1,677	$8,244
Elizabeth Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	220 S Post Road	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8371	649	37	17.7	99.5%	154 (23.7%)	315 (48.5%)	115 (17.7%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (9.2%)	32.4	1050^th of 1492 public elementary schools	29.6%		35.8	985^th of 1490 public elementary schools	33.9%	65	52.9	62.5	55.6	31.8	55.0	42.0	56.8	$9,413	$1,457	$7,956
Boiling Springs Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1522 Patrick Avenue	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8361	558	38	14.8	99.5%	389 (69.7%)	82 (14.7%)	42 (7.5%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (7.7%)	79.1	252^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	83.1%		85.1	172^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	88.5%	80	80.0	80.2	84.4	55.8	71.9	60.0	85.6	$9,229	$1,162	$8,067
Sunshine Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	231 Toney Road	Bostic	28018	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 245-0658	217	13	16.4	98.6%	197 (90.8%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.6%)	82.4	210^th of 1492 public elementary schools	85.9%		68	427^th of 1490 public elementary schools	71.3%	217	73.5	97.0	74.1	71.4	84.8	63.0	77.8	$12,481	$1,748	$10,733

Frequently Asked Questions about Union Elementary

How many students attend Union Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 413 students attended Union Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Union Elementary attend?

Students who attend Union Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Burns Middle
High : Burns High
High : Cleveland ECHS

Is Union Elementary a good school?

Union Elementary ranks 760^th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Union Elementary?

Students at Union Elementary are 60% White, 23% African American, 10% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic.

What district is Union Elementary in?

Cleveland County Schools

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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.