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

Edward Best Elementary

Q: Is Edward Best Elementary a good school?

Edward Best Elementary ranks 420 th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

420^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 72% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Edward Best Elementary in Louisburg, NC, is a Pre-K through 5th grade public school in Franklin County Schools, serving 498 students in a rural community roughly 30 miles northeast of Raleigh. Despite serving one of the region's highest-poverty populations — nearly 99% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch — the school has been a consistent top-quartile performer among North Carolina elementary schools for most of the past decade, earning a 4-star state rating again in 2025–2026.

Edward Best's signature strength is math. In the latest testing year, 4th graders posted an 85.2% proficiency rate, about 24 points above the state average and better than nearby Bunn Elementary, Royal Elementary, and Louisburg Elementary. Reading and science are strong too: 3rd-grade reading reached 63.6% proficiency and 5th-grade science hit 75.3%, both above district and state averages. The school is especially effective for its most disadvantaged learners — low-income students ranked in the 93rd percentile statewide with a 5-star subgroup rating, and special education students ranked in the 84th percentile. Areas worth monitoring include 5th-grade reading, which returned to the state average after an unusually strong year, and gifted students, whose subgroup ranking has slipped recently.

Attendance is another encouraging story. Chronic absenteeism plummeted from 40.2% in 2021–2022 to just 17.0% in 2024–2025 — far better than the district average of 23.6% and well below the rates at Louisburg Elementary and Franklinton Elementary. The bottom line for parents is that Edward Best pairs high poverty with high achievement, a sign that students here are learning regardless of economic circumstances. It is not the top-ranked elementary in the area — Royal Elementary currently holds that title — but Edward Best's decade of steady 4-star results, excellent math instruction, and dramatically improved attendance make it one of the most dependable choices in Franklin County.

498

Students ?

13.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

Community Eligibility

All students receive free meals (2024-25) ?

4011 NC 56 Hwy East
Louisburg, NC 27549-9804

(919) 853-2347

District: Franklin County Schools

Racial breakdown:

White:

42.6%

Hispanic:

27.1%

African American:

23.1%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Edward Best Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 73rd percentile in 2016 → 72nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (69% vs 61% meeting standards)

✓Above the North Carolina median (72nd percentile)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school69%

District avg63%

North Carolina avg61%

420^th of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 28%▼ down 2 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

115^th of 246Franklin 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	69.9	420 of 1492	71.8%	★★★★☆
2025	76.6	302 of 1490	79.7%	★★★★☆
2024	76.6	301 of 1505	80.0%	★★★★☆
2023	74.9	328 of 1502	78.2%	★★★★☆
2022	64.9	501 of 1514	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	34.7	945 of 1489	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	70.4	396 of 1473	73.1%	★★★★☆
2018	70.8	382 of 1434	73.4%	★★★★☆
2017	72.3	367 of 1429	74.3%	★★★★☆
2016	71.0	379 of 1425	73.4%	★★★★☆
2015	62.6	526 of 1440	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2014	72.9	343 of 1390	75.3%	★★★★☆
2013	65.9	424 of 1403	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2012	66.7	467 of 1388	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2011	60.4	602 of 1381	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2010	51.3	754 of 1363	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2009	55.4	693 of 1354	48.8%	★★☆☆☆
2008	61.0	530 of 1324	60.0%	★★★☆☆
2007	68.1	384 of 1293	70.3%	★★★★☆
2006	59.2	554 of 1276	56.6%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	65.2	237 of 903	73.8%	★★★★☆
2025	76.8	134 of 918	85.4%	★★★★☆
2024	74.3	152 of 924	83.5%	★★★★☆
2023	70.8	198 of 933	78.8%	★★★★☆
2022	67.3	213 of 927	77.0%	★★★★☆
2021	38.2	525 of 896	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	81.6	90 of 949	90.5%	★★★★★
2018	66.7	237 of 927	74.4%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	38.4	364 of 634	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	75.9	105 of 878	88.0%	★★★★☆
2018	65.2	205 of 897	77.1%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	71.7	339 of 1447	76.6%	★★★★☆
2025	80.6	210 of 1451	85.5%	★★★★☆
2024	84.1	167 of 1455	88.5%	★★★★☆
2023	72.3	350 of 1459	76.0%	★★★★☆
2022	60.0	548 of 1458	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	26.8	1062 of 1440	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	69.9	390 of 1424	72.6%	★★★★☆
2018	71.7	365 of 1405	74.0%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	61.6	301 of 743	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	61.7	286 of 710	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.3	57 of 669	91.5%	★★★★★
2023	59.2	299 of 582	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	33.2	419 of 494	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	71.9	198 of 981	79.8%	★★★★☆
2025	77.6	121 of 961	87.4%	★★★★☆
2024	79.5	121 of 951	87.3%	★★★★☆
2023	85.7	74 of 915	91.9%	★★★★★
2022	61.6	259 of 893	71.0%	★★★★☆
2021	37.8	520 of 843	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	60.6	296 of 865	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	77.8	127 of 851	85.1%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	85.5	99 of 1434	93.1%	★★★★★
2025	78.1	183 of 1437	87.3%	★★★★☆
2024	83.8	108 of 1450	92.6%	★★★★★
2023	83.8	110 of 1437	92.3%	★★★★★
2022	75.5	196 of 1366	85.7%	★★★★☆
2021	37.7	823 of 1329	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	77.8	188 of 1361	86.2%	★★★★☆
2018	65.5	383 of 1332	71.2%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	65.5	475 of 1451	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	71.3	355 of 1450	75.5%	★★★★☆
2024	65.6	464 of 1464	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	73.1	327 of 1461	77.6%	★★★★☆
2022	68.3	409 of 1464	72.1%	★★★★☆
2021	45.4	759 of 1444	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	68.3	406 of 1430	71.6%	★★★★☆
2018	68.3	415 of 1413	70.6%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	71.4	134 of 815	83.6%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	65.1	391 of 1146	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	72.0	291 of 1172	75.2%	★★★★☆
2024	71.7	302 of 1166	74.1%	★★★★☆
2023	69.1	332 of 1183	71.9%	★★★★☆
2022	66.6	360 of 1194	69.8%	★★★★☆
2021	42.7	687 of 1172	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	73.9	263 of 1183	77.8%	★★★★☆
2018	72.6	299 of 1178	74.6%	★★★★☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)93rd percentile+21 vs school

Special Education (2026)84th percentile+12 vs school

Hispanic (2026)80th percentile+8 vs school

Female (2026)77th percentile+5 vs school

African American (2026)74th percentile~ school

Male (2026)67th percentile-5 vs school

White (2026)66th percentile-6 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)59th percentile-12 vs school

Disabled (2022)43rd percentile-24 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics76%+13 vs state

Science75%+8 vs state

Reading59%+3 vs state

1.0

1 rating

5★0

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

Rate Edward Best 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 Edward Best 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 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
Edward Best Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4011 NC 56 Hwy East	Louisburg	27549	Franklin County	Franklin County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 853-2347	498	36	13.9	—	212 (42.6%)	115 (23.1%)	135 (27.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.0%)	69.9	420^th of 1492 public elementary schools	71.8%		76.6	302^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	79.7%	118	74.0	85.2	69.4				63.6	59.3	55.3				75.3		$9,632	$1,000	$8,632
Crosscreek Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	100 East River Road	Louisburg	27549	Franklin County	Crosscreek Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(919) 497-3198	404	29	14.1	—	277 (68.6%)	49 (12.1%)	49 (12.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.9%)	37.4	953^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	36.1%		35.4	993^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	33.4%	40	46.5	38.1	50.0	78.3	82.5	26.7	39.5	31.0	60.5	63.0	80.0	37.8	55.3	40.0
Laurel Mill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	730 Laurel Mill Road	Louisburg	27549	Franklin County	Franklin County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 853-3577	281	22	12.6	—	94 (33.5%)	100 (35.6%)	64 (22.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (7.8%)	48.6	757^th of 1492 public elementary schools	49.3%		57.3	604^th of 1490 public elementary schools	59.5%	153	56.9	39.5	82.5				43.1	51.2	70.0				75.0		$11,465	$945	$10,520
Louisburg Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	50 Stone Southerland Road	Louisburg	27549	Franklin County	Franklin County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 496-3676	387	26	15.1	—	54 (14.0%)	159 (41.1%)	144 (37.2%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.5%)	36.4	972^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	34.9%		22.6	1228^th of 1490 public elementary schools	17.6%	256	28.6	62.5	54.0				32.1	53.6	54.0				70.0		$10,539	$1,519	$9,020
Spring Hope Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	401 McLean Street	Spring Hope	27882	Nash County	Nash County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 451-8530	378	19	20.2	97.9%	137 (36.2%)	116 (30.7%)	99 (26.2%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.6%)	28.5	1126^th of 1492 public elementary schools	24.5%		38.1	950^th of 1490 public elementary schools	36.2%	176	50.8	53.0	52.6				40.7	43.9	44.7				59.2		$10,423	$1,776	$8,647
Bunn Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	686 Bunn Elem School Road	Bunn	27508	Franklin County	Franklin County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 496-4015	600	42	14.3	—	259 (43.2%)	120 (20.0%)	174 (29.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (7.5%)	68.7	442^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	70.4%		54.3	665^th of 1490 public elementary schools	55.4%	223	78.4	76.9	79.8				55.7	59.3	54.8				72.6		$9,785	$917	$8,868
Royal Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	308 Flat Rock Church Road	Louisburg	27549	Franklin County	Franklin County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 496-7377	349	27	13.1	—	119 (34.1%)	103 (29.5%)	110 (31.5%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.7%)	80.3	241^st of 1492 public elementary schools	83.8%		58.9	583^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	60.9%	342	84.2	73.8	78.8				76.3	58.5	67.3				90.4		$9,728	$1,027	$8,701
Nashville Elementary	Public	K-5	209 East Virginia Avenue	Nashville	27856	Nash County	Nash County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 451-2877	593	30	19.7	—	206 (34.7%)	285 (48.1%)	50 (8.4%)	6 (1.0%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (6.9%)	64.7	510^th of 1492 public elementary schools	65.8%		63.2	509^th of 1490 public elementary schools	65.8%	1	78.9	70.5	72.9				55.6	54.7	54.1				75.3		$8,696	$1,010	$7,686
Red Oak Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5603 Red Oak Road	Red Oak	27868	Nash County	Nash County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 462-2496	696	39	18.0	—	287 (41.2%)	269 (38.6%)	66 (9.5%)	4 (0.6%)	11 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (8.5%)	64.1	517^th of 1492 public elementary schools	65.3%		55.8	639^th of 1490 public elementary schools	57.1%	122	65.1	70.3	71.2				53.8	60.9	60.0				74.4		$11,073	$1,057	$10,016
Franklinton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	431 S Hillsborough St.	Franklinton	27525	Franklin County	Franklin County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 494-2479	470	34	13.6	—	111 (23.6%)	213 (45.3%)	112 (23.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.8%)	29.3	1106^th of 1492 public elementary schools	25.9%		29.3	1100^th of 1490 public elementary schools	26.2%	6	57.7	49.4	55.1				43.7	50.6	34.8				57.3		$10,634	$1,099	$9,535

Frequently Asked Questions about Edward Best Elementary

Is Edward Best Elementary a good school?

Edward Best Elementary ranks 420^th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Edward Best Elementary in?

Franklin County Schools

How many students attend Edward Best Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 498 students attended Edward Best Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Edward Best Elementary?

Students at Edward Best Elementary are 43% White, 27% Hispanic, 23% African American, 7% Two or more races.

Rate Edward Best Elementary!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NCNorth Carolina Elementary School Rankings

NCNorth Carolina District Rankings

Schools in Louisburg, NC

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Edward Best 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.