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Northwest Elementary

Q: Is Northwest Elementary a good school?

Northwest Elementary ranks 331 st of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

331^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 78% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Northwest Elementary is a PK–5 school in Lexington, NC, serving about 625 students as part of Davidson County Schools. It is one of the strongest elementary schools in the area, ranking in the 78th percentile statewide (331st of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools) and earning 4 stars for 2025–26. While about 40% of its students receive free/reduced lunch, the school's chronic absenteeism rate is just 7.4% — far below the district's 10.5% and the state's 24.2% — and its student-teacher ratio of about 16:1 is slightly better than many nearby schools.

What really sets Northwest apart is its early-grade instruction. In 2025–26, 3rd-grade math proficiency reached 87.7% versus 66.4% statewide, and 3rd-grade reading hit 70.8% versus 55.6% statewide. That is a 21-point advantage in math and a 15-point advantage in reading over the state average. Northwest also posts the strongest statewide ranking among its immediate Davidson County peers: Midway Elementary sits at the 75th percentile, Friedberg Elementary at the 55th, Reeds Elementary at the 44th, and Welcome Elementary at the 42nd. Only Clemmons Elementary and Shady Grove Elementary, both about 7 miles away in other districts, rank higher at the 87th percentile. The school is also notably effective with students who often struggle elsewhere: special education students ranked in the 83rd percentile statewide, and low-income students ranked in the 80th percentile. Its absenteeism rate is roughly one-third the statewide figure and far below schools like Kimmel Farm Elementary (28.5%) or Reeds Elementary (16.5%).

The main areas to watch are upper-elementary performance and gifted education. Northwest's advantage over the state shrinks dramatically by 5th grade — from +21 points in 3rd-grade math to roughly +7 in 5th-grade math, and from +15 points in 3rd-grade reading to about +3 in 5th-grade reading. Gifted and Talented students have also had uneven years, including a 21st-percentile ranking in 2024–25, which suggests the school may not always stretch its highest performers. That said, Northwest achieves these results while spending less per pupil than most nearby schools, and its combination of very low chronic absenteeism, strong early-grade proficiency, and consistent success with special populations makes it an especially attractive option for families with younger elementary students.

625

Students ?

15.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

40.3%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

95.5%

Kindergartners up to date on all required vaccines (2025-26)

Exemptions: 3.4% (any vaccine)

400 Northwest Elementary Road
Lexington, NC 27295

(336) 764-0360

District: Davidson County Schools

Students who attend Northwest Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	North Davidson Middle
High:	North Davidson High

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.5%

Hispanic:

7.7%

Two or more races:

6.6%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Northwest Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 66th percentile in 2016 → 78th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (71% vs 61% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 22% of North Carolina elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 12 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school71%

District avg62%

North Carolina avg61%

331^st of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 22%▲ up 12 pts since 2016

From top 34% (2016) to top 22% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

101^st of 246Davidson 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	74.5	331 of 1492	77.8%	★★★★☆
2025	82.3	210 of 1490	85.9%	★★★★☆
2024	74.8	327 of 1505	78.3%	★★★★☆
2023	71.2	386 of 1502	74.3%	★★★★☆
2022	71.1	387 of 1514	74.4%	★★★★☆
2021	79.3	254 of 1489	82.9%	★★★★☆
2019	83.3	191 of 1473	87.0%	★★★★☆
2018	77.6	264 of 1434	81.6%	★★★★☆
2017	69.9	407 of 1429	71.5%	★★★★☆
2016	64.3	490 of 1425	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2015	67.5	461 of 1440	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2014	72.3	355 of 1390	74.5%	★★★★☆
2013	75.1	297 of 1403	78.8%	★★★★☆
2012	64.7	515 of 1388	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2011	75.1	293 of 1381	78.8%	★★★★☆
2010	69.2	410 of 1363	69.9%	★★★★☆
2009	79.0	228 of 1354	83.2%	★★★★☆
2008	72.2	310 of 1324	76.6%	★★★★☆
2007	75.4	253 of 1293	80.4%	★★★★☆
2006	74.7	260 of 1276	79.6%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	63.1	140 of 634	77.9%	★★★★☆
2018	62.6	238 of 897	73.5%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	75.7	277 of 1447	80.9%	★★★★☆
2025	81.5	196 of 1451	86.5%	★★★★☆
2024	71.6	343 of 1455	76.4%	★★★★☆
2023	73.4	329 of 1459	77.5%	★★★★☆
2022	62.8	503 of 1458	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	75.2	284 of 1440	80.3%	★★★★☆
2019	80.2	206 of 1424	85.5%	★★★★☆
2018	83.9	150 of 1405	89.3%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	58.1	380 of 743	48.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	44.0	562 of 710	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	63.3	245 of 669	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.2	369 of 582	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	61.8	218 of 500	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	66.7	162 of 494	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	49.9	452 of 612	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	64.7	395 of 1434	72.5%	★★★★☆
2025	71.1	292 of 1437	79.7%	★★★★☆
2024	66.8	371 of 1450	74.4%	★★★★☆
2023	54.1	617 of 1437	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	40.4	842 of 1366	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	75.1	197 of 1329	85.2%	★★★★☆
2019	76.2	207 of 1361	84.8%	★★★★☆
2018	73.7	245 of 1332	81.6%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	69.8	396 of 1451	72.7%	★★★★☆
2025	79.1	240 of 1450	83.4%	★★★★☆
2024	75.7	292 of 1464	80.1%	★★★★☆
2023	66.6	435 of 1461	70.2%	★★★★☆
2022	77.1	277 of 1464	81.1%	★★★★☆
2021	79.7	243 of 1444	83.2%	★★★★☆
2019	83.1	177 of 1430	87.6%	★★★★☆
2018	69.4	397 of 1413	71.9%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	69.3	54 of 181	70.2%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	69.9	142 of 815	82.6%	★★★★☆
2025	59.3	233 of 821	71.6%	★★★★☆
2024	58.6	230 of 801	71.3%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	51.7	569 of 1146	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	61.4	432 of 1172	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.3	551 of 1166	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.3	597 of 1183	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	49.6	618 of 1194	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	56.4	491 of 1172	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	63.7	417 of 1183	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.4	554 of 1178	53.0%	★★★☆☆

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)

Special Education (2026)83rd percentile+5 vs school

Female (2026)81st percentile+3 vs school

Disabled (2022)78th percentile+3 vs school

Male (2026)73rd percentile-5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)72nd percentile-5 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)70th percentile-8 vs school

White (2026)50th percentile-27 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)49th percentile-29 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics75%+12 vs state

Science74%+6 vs state

Reading66%+9 vs state

★

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Schools Near Northwest 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 Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				EOG Mathematics (2026)						EOG Reading (2026)						EOG Science (2026)		Vaccination (2025-26)		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	Vaccination: Kindergartners up to date on all required vaccines	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Northwest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	400 Northwest Elementary Road	Lexington	27295	Davidson County	Davidson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(336) 764-0360	625	39	15.9	40.3%	522 (83.5%)	9 (1.4%)	48 (7.7%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (6.6%)	74.5	331^st of 1492 public elementary schools	77.8%		82.3	210^th of 1490 public elementary schools	85.9%	121	87.7	67.3	69.6				70.8	68.4	57.8				73.5		95.5%	3.4%	$7,891	$463	$7,428
Welcome Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5701 Old Hwy 52	Lexington	27295	Davidson County	Davidson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(336) 731-3361	638	39	16.4	—	450 (70.5%)	44 (6.9%)	89 (13.9%)	19 (3.0%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (5.2%)	42.6	867^th of 1492 public elementary schools	41.9%		41.5	890^th of 1490 public elementary schools	40.3%	23	73.5	70.3	46.5				51.0	47.1	42.6				60.4		97.6%	1.2%	$8,344	$696	$7,649
Friedberg Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1131 Friedberg Church Road	Winston Salem	27127	Davidson County	Davidson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(336) 764-2059	468	29	16.3	45.7%	329 (70.3%)	42 (9.0%)	55 (11.8%)	12 (2.6%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (5.8%)	53.5	675^th of 1492 public elementary schools	54.8%		72.3	359^th of 1490 public elementary schools	75.9%	316	69.4	56.6	57.1				63.9	51.3	50.0				77.1		93.4%	6.6%	$7,582	$483	$7,099
Kimmel Farm Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4672 Ebert Rd	Winston Salem	27127	Forsyth County	Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(336) 703-6760	760	50	15.1	—	107 (14.1%)	385 (50.7%)	179 (23.6%)	17 (2.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	70 (9.2%)	45.2	821^st of 1492 public elementary schools	45.0%		39.9	919^th of 1490 public elementary schools	38.3%	98	57.8	55.2	61.8				53.2	55.2	51.8				64.5		97.4%	2.6%	$8,939	$994	$7,946
Midway Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	318 Midway School Road	Lexington	27295	Davidson County	Davidson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(336) 764-0064	546	33	16.5	48.9%	421 (77.1%)	16 (2.9%)	73 (13.4%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (5.7%)	72.3	371^st of 1492 public elementary schools	75.1%		66.6	458^th of 1490 public elementary schools	69.3%	87	74.3	64.7	78.8				68.3	54.1	63.8				85.0		97.5%	2.5%	$8,371	$538	$7,833
Ward Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3775 Fraternity Church Road	Winston Salem	27127	Forsyth County	Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(336) 703-4235	489	37	13.2	—	96 (19.6%)	177 (36.2%)	161 (32.9%)	18 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	36 (7.4%)	24.4	1198^th of 1492 public elementary schools	19.7%		31.8	1062^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	28.7%	136	60.0	50.6	38.6				52.9	45.1	33.7				39.5		95.9%	1.4%	$9,790	$1,152	$8,638
Shady Grove Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3179 Cornatzer Rd	Advance	27006	Davie County	Davie County Schools	No	No	No	No	(336) 936-8280	492	31	15.8	27.4%	422 (85.8%)	18 (3.7%)	33 (6.7%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (2.8%)	84.1	187^th of 1492 public elementary schools	87.5%		91.1	95^th of 1490 public elementary schools	93.6%	92	83.1	84.9	78.9				65.1	72.6	68.4				81.6		89.3%	9.5%	$8,932	$362	$8,570
Davidson Charter Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	500 Biesecker Rd	Lexington	27295	Davidson County	Davidson Charter Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(336) 803-7809	658	42	15.8	—	347 (52.7%)	102 (15.5%)	128 (19.5%)	11 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	70 (10.6%)	38	943^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	36.8%		39.8	921^st of 1490 public elementary schools	38.2%	22	52.8	41.8	51.7	53.3	63.0	48.9	58.3	52.2	48.3	55.0	58.7	55.6	60.0	77.8	100%	0%
Pickett Elementary School	Public	1-5	200 Biesecker Road	Lexington	27295	Davidson County	Lexington City Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(336) 242-1546	385	25	15.4	—	60 (15.6%)	109 (28.3%)	155 (40.3%)	13 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (12.5%)	18.1	1314^th of 1492 public elementary schools	11.9%		20.2	1277^th of 1490 public elementary schools	14.3%	37	39.5	43.8	45.2				35.5	52.1	38.4				46.6				$11,026	$1,694	$9,332
Clemmons Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6200 Bingham Avenue	Clemmons	27012	Forsyth County	Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools	No	No	No	No	(336) 703-4210	839	52	16.0	—	490 (58.4%)	90 (10.7%)	128 (15.3%)	65 (7.7%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	62 (7.4%)	83.8	193^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	87.1%		91.8	85^th of 1490 public elementary schools	94.3%	108	82.8	82.5	81.7				76.1	79.7	60.6				74.6		93.6%	4.5%	$8,630	$512	$8,117

Frequently Asked Questions about Northwest Elementary

How many students attend Northwest Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 625 students attended Northwest Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Northwest Elementary attend?

Students who attend Northwest Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : North Davidson Middle
High : North Davidson High

What is the racial makeup of Northwest Elementary?

Students at Northwest Elementary are 84% White, 8% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 1% African American.

Is Northwest Elementary a good school?

Northwest Elementary ranks 331^st of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Northwest Elementary in?

Davidson County Schools

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Latest North Carolina data All new data »

2025–26 graduation rates (updated)NewNov 2, 2026

2020–21 through 2025–26 immunization ratesOct 19, 2026

2022–23 immunization rates (updated)Oct 19, 2026

2017–18 through 2024–25 attendance dataSep 2, 2026

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.