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W G Pearson Elementary

Q: Is W G Pearson Elementary a good school?

W G Pearson Elementary ranks 986 th of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades PK, KG-5

986^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,490 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 34% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

W G Pearson Elementary is a public magnet elementary school in Durham, North Carolina, serving grades PK-5 with an enrollment of 348 students. The school is part of the Durham Public Schools district, which is ranked 163 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

W G Pearson Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of North Carolina elementary schools, with its academic performance on state standardized tests significantly below the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2024-2025, only 26.5% of 3rd graders were proficient or better in math, compared to 55.2% for the district and 64.1% for the state. However, the school performs relatively well for its African American and Hispanic student populations, ranking in the top half of the state in those categories. The school's performance on 5th grade science tests is a bright spot, with 68.3% of students proficient or better in 2024-2025, compared to 54.4% for the district and 62% for the state.

W G Pearson Elementary has a very high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, with over 99% of students falling into this category in recent years, significantly higher than the nearby schools, which range from 31.89% to 99.25% free or reduced-price lunch recipients. The school also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 11:1 to 14.2:1 in recent years, and relatively high spending per student, at $14,391 in 2018-2019, compared to the nearby schools, which range from $11,050 to $16,804 per student. These factors suggest that resources may not be effectively translating into improved academic outcomes, and further examination of the school's resource allocation and utilization may be warranted.

319

Students ?

9.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,391

Per pupil spending ?

97.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3501 Fayettville Street
Durham, NC 27707

(919) 560-3988

District: Durham Public Schools

Students who attend W G Pearson Elementary usually attend:

Middle:

Rogers-Herr Middle

Racial breakdown:

African American:

57.7%

Hispanic:

29.2%

Two or more races:

7.8%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare W G Pearson Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 1st percentile in 2015 → 34th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 33 percentile points since 2015

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (46% vs 57% meeting standards)

!Mathematics scores 17 pts below the North Carolina average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school46%

District avg50%

North Carolina avg57%

986^th of 1,490

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 34%▲ up 32 pts since 2015

From bottom 1% (2015) to bottom 34% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

15^th of 30Elementary Schools in the Durham Public Schools

163^rd of 242Durham Public 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	35.8	986 of 1490	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.5	846 of 1505	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	28.1	1123 of 1502	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	16.6	1340 of 1514	11.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	6.0	1457 of 1489	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	18.2	1288 of 1473	12.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	15.9	1264 of 1434	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	2.6	1407 of 1429	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	3.1	1407 of 1425	1.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	3.8	1419 of 1440	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	4.3	1364 of 1390	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	7.2	1360 of 1403	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	3.8	1368 of 1388	1.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	13.1	1279 of 1381	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	6.3	1320 of 1363	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	22.9	1123 of 1354	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	18.9	1147 of 1324	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	29.0	1038 of 1293	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	11.1	1209 of 1276	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	52.7	384 of 918	58.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	58.4	319 of 924	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	42.1	531 of 933	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	31.4	678 of 927	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.2	860 of 896	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	35.1	666 of 949	29.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	39.7	575 of 927	38.0%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	89.8	31 of 533	94.2%	★★★★★
2023	83.2	44 of 514	91.4%	★★★★★
2022	62.2	106 of 485	78.1%	★★★★☆
2021	23.9	333 of 385	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	56.0	156 of 497	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	39.5	258 of 421	38.7%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	32.9	1027 of 1451	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	44.7	807 of 1455	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	17.4	1293 of 1459	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	15.4	1330 of 1458	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	7.3	1405 of 1440	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	23.5	1182 of 1424	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	19.2	1226 of 1405	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	49.2	489 of 961	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	66.9	239 of 951	74.9%	★★★★☆
2023	59.4	307 of 915	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	49.4	412 of 893	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	13.4	819 of 843	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	45.7	480 of 865	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	34.0	613 of 851	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	47.0	761 of 1437	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	51.7	658 of 1450	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	41.9	876 of 1437	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	28.0	1078 of 1366	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.1	1222 of 1329	8.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	23.9	1147 of 1361	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	24.7	1105 of 1332	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	38.9	913 of 1450	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	45.2	822 of 1464	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.7	942 of 1461	35.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	20.2	1226 of 1464	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	6.2	1415 of 1444	2.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	16.5	1272 of 1430	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	17.1	1251 of 1413	11.5%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

English Language Learner (2024)94th percentile+50 vs school

African American (2025)58th percentile+24 vs school

Hispanic (2025)49th percentile+15 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)47th percentile+13 vs school

Male (2025)37th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2025)29th percentile-5 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Science68%+6 vs state

Mathematics44%-17 vs state

Reading42%-11 vs state

★

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Schools Near W G Pearson 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 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
W G Pearson Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	3501 Fayettville Street	Durham	27707	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(919) 560-3988	319	32	9.9	97.2%	14 (4.4%)	184 (57.7%)	93 (29.2%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (7.8%)	35.8	986^th of 1490 public elementary schools	33.8%		44.5	846^th of 1505 public elementary schools	43.8%	140	26.5	58.5	51.3	24.5	53.7	50.0	68.3	$14,391	$3,740	$10,650
Fayetteville Street Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2905 Fayetteville Street	Durham	27707	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 560-3944	261	21	12.6	97.3%	2 (0.8%)	119 (45.6%)	120 (46.0%)	16 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.5%)	19.8	1284^th of 1490 public elementary schools	13.8%		26.9	1161^st of 1505 public elementary schools	22.9%	123	40.0	51.1	56.1	26.7	34.0	29.3	40.0	$12,761	$2,103	$10,658
C C Spaulding Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1531 S Roxboro Road	Durham	27707	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 560-3974	247	24	10.2	98.8%	22 (8.9%)	88 (35.6%)	117 (47.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (7.7%)	26	1156^th of 1490 public elementary schools	22.4%		14.1	1376^th of 1505 public elementary schools	8.6%	220	27.0	40.6	75.8	19.4	18.8	40.6	59.4	$16,448	$4,879	$11,568
Murray-Massenburg Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3901 S Roxboro St	Durham	27713	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(919) 560-3749	517	30	17.1	99.4%	129 (25.0%)	213 (41.2%)	111 (21.5%)	12 (2.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (9.9%)								(n/a)	50.0	52.9	32.6	34.4	52.9	32.6	44.2
R N Harris Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1520 Cooper Street	Durham	27703	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(919) 560-3967	313	22	14.5	99.0%	11 (3.5%)	146 (46.6%)	136 (43.5%)	3 (1.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.8%)	25.1	1183^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	20.6%		47.8	783^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	48.0%	400	30.8	45.8	57.1	23.1	44.1	40.8	55.1	$14,110	$1,680	$12,430
Pearsontown Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	4915 Barbee Road	Durham	27713	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(919) 560-3964	765	56	13.5	99.6%	276 (36.1%)	272 (35.6%)	112 (14.6%)	19 (2.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	85 (11.1%)	80.8	237^th of 1490 public elementary schools	84.1%		88.1	139^th of 1505 public elementary schools	90.8%	98	71.5	72.9	67.8	56.9	77.1	74.4	80.2	$11,050	$680	$10,370
Hope Valley Elementary	Public	K-5	3005 Dixon Road	Durham	27707	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 560-3980	539	49	11.1	99.4%	145 (26.9%)	105 (19.5%)	218 (40.4%)	25 (4.6%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (8.0%)	28.3	1112^th of 1490 public elementary schools	25.4%		27.9	1142^nd of 1505 public elementary schools	24.1%	30	64.5	41.4	48.9	35.8	44.9	39.4	40.9	$12,023	$1,391	$10,632
Burton Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1500 Mathison Avenue	Durham	27701	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(919) 560-3908	293	27	10.7	99.0%	25 (8.5%)	136 (46.4%)	112 (38.2%)	3 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	15 (5.1%)	63.9	501^st of 1490 public elementary schools	66.4%		60.2	580^th of 1505 public elementary schools	61.5%	79	62.0	66.0	58.3	52.0	70.0	62.5	62.5	$14,102	$1,610	$12,492
Morehead Montessori	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	909 Cobb Street	Durham	27707	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(919) 560-3954	278	20	14.2	98.9%	136 (48.9%)	55 (19.8%)	46 (16.5%)	12 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (10.4%)	77.3	287^th of 1490 public elementary schools	80.7%		81.2	223^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	85.2%	64	59.0	64.9	86.2	62.5	70.3	75.9	82.8	$16,804	$1,621	$15,183
Southwest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2320 Cook Road	Durham	27713	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 560-3972	639	45	14.2	99.5%	203 (31.8%)	204 (31.9%)	166 (26.0%)	12 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (8.3%)	64.4	491^st of 1490 public elementary schools	67.0%		62	544^th of 1505 public elementary schools	63.9%	53	72.9	62.8	55.7	51.9	71.7	54.2	64.2	$11,711	$1,168	$10,542

Frequently Asked Questions about W G Pearson Elementary

Is W G Pearson Elementary a good school?

W G Pearson Elementary ranks 986^th of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend W G Pearson Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 319 students attended W G Pearson Elementary.

What district is W G Pearson Elementary in?

Durham Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of W G Pearson Elementary?

Students at W G Pearson Elementary are 58% African American, 29% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 4% White.

What schools do graduates of W G Pearson Elementary attend?

Students who attend W G Pearson Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Rogers-Herr Middle

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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.