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Benhaven Elementary

Q: Is Benhaven Elementary a good school?

Benhaven Elementary ranks 614 th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

614^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 59% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Benhaven Elementary is a large Pre-K through 5th grade school in Sanford, NC, serving about 1,065 students within Harnett County Schools. Unlike most neighboring elementary schools, where 95% or more of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, Benhaven serves a more economically diverse population, with about 44% of students receiving subsidized meals. The school also stands out for attendance: its chronic absenteeism rate of 13.7% is roughly half the county and state averages and far better than nearby schools such as Boone Trail Elementary (30.2%) or Overhills Elementary (25.7%).

In the classroom, math is Benhaven's strongest subject. Recent testing shows math proficiency above state averages in every grade, and the 2024-25 4th grade class posted a 79.6% math proficiency rate — far ahead of the district's 49.4%. Reading scores have generally matched state averages, while 5th grade science has lagged slightly behind. Statewide, Benhaven has ranked in the 59th–78th percentile in recent years, comfortably above the overall profile of Harnett County Schools. Some high-poverty schools nearby perform at a similar level, however: Johnsonville Elementary ranks 433rd statewide despite a 99% poverty rate, and Anderson Creek Academy, a nearby charter, reports reading proficiency above 80%.

Families considering Benhaven should know that the most recent school year brought a visible dip from the school's early-2020s peak. Its statewide ranking slipped from 449th to 614th, driven largely by a single cohort: 4th grade math proficiency fell from 79.6% to 67.6%, and 4th grade reading dropped from 72.5% to 58.0%. Rankings for special education and gifted students also declined more sharply than the school's overall performance. This pattern suggests a cohort-specific swing rather than a systemic collapse. Overall, Benhaven remains a solid, above-average option in its area — especially attractive for parents who value strong attendance, consistent math instruction, and a more economically diverse school environment than most nearby alternatives.

1,065

Students ?

16.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

44.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

520 Olive Farm Dr
Sanford, NC 27332

(919) 499-4811

District: Harnett County Schools

Students who attend Benhaven Elementary usually attend:

High:

Western Harnett High

Racial breakdown:

White:

46.4%

African American:

20.8%

Hispanic:

19.8%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Benhaven Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 78th percentile in 2024 → 59th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the North Carolina median (59th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 78th-percentile peak (2024) to 59th (2026)

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school63%

District avg54%

North Carolina avg61%

614^th of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 41%▲ up 14 pts since 2016

From bottom 45% (2016) to top 41% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

173^rd of 246Harnett 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	57.8	614 of 1492	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	66.8	449 of 1490	69.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	74.2	335 of 1505	77.7%	★★★★☆
2023	74.1	340 of 1502	77.4%	★★★★☆
2022	73.1	353 of 1514	76.7%	★★★★☆
2021	63.8	502 of 1489	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	70.8	390 of 1473	73.5%	★★★★☆
2018	64.4	506 of 1434	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	54.7	673 of 1429	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2016	47.7	780 of 1425	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2015	31.7	1059 of 1440	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	34.8	938 of 1390	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2013	35.7	933 of 1403	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2012	31.8	1067 of 1388	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	36.5	970 of 1381	29.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	31.9	1037 of 1363	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	34.3	985 of 1354	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	38.1	893 of 1324	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2007	53.2	683 of 1293	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2006	41.8	845 of 1276	33.8%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	66.9	224 of 903	75.2%	★★★★☆
2025	75.1	152 of 918	83.4%	★★★★☆
2024	87.2	55 of 924	94.0%	★★★★★
2023	76.8	136 of 933	85.4%	★★★★☆
2022	82.8	79 of 927	91.5%	★★★★★
2021	79.5	97 of 896	89.2%	★★★★☆
2019	80.4	99 of 949	89.6%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	30.7	455 of 634	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	36.5	395 of 646	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	33.7	623 of 878	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.2	805 of 897	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	47.5	236 of 519	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	80.5	51 of 563	90.9%	★★★★★
2024	76.2	69 of 533	87.1%	★★★★☆
2023	34.9	334 of 514	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	67.0	80 of 485	83.5%	★★★★☆
2021	30.8	276 of 385	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	64.2	113 of 497	77.3%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	56.8	597 of 1447	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	65.0	447 of 1451	69.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.6	357 of 1455	75.5%	★★★★☆
2023	69.6	392 of 1459	73.1%	★★★★☆
2022	67.5	418 of 1458	71.3%	★★★★☆
2021	61.8	491 of 1440	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	70.3	384 of 1424	73.0%	★★★★☆
2018	69.1	405 of 1405	71.2%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	45.6	599 of 743	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	70.7	94 of 710	86.8%	★★★★☆
2024	69.8	72 of 669	89.2%	★★★★☆
2023	68.2	63 of 582	89.2%	★★★★☆
2021	77.0	22 of 494	95.5%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	51.1	467 of 981	52.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	75.8	138 of 961	85.6%	★★★★☆
2024	81.0	110 of 951	88.4%	★★★★☆
2023	82.4	91 of 915	90.1%	★★★★★
2022	79.4	108 of 893	87.9%	★★★★☆
2021	81.6	87 of 843	89.7%	★★★★☆
2019	84.1	74 of 865	91.4%	★★★★★
2018	60.5	284 of 851	66.6%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	52.2	641 of 1434	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	60.9	463 of 1437	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	76.6	209 of 1450	85.6%	★★★★☆
2023	71.6	295 of 1437	79.5%	★★★★☆
2022	59.2	470 of 1366	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	51.9	547 of 1329	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	70.7	300 of 1361	78.0%	★★★★☆
2018	70.9	294 of 1332	77.9%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	56.7	607 of 1451	58.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	66.7	425 of 1450	70.7%	★★★★☆
2024	74.5	309 of 1464	78.9%	★★★★☆
2023	74.7	301 of 1461	79.4%	★★★★☆
2022	75.9	295 of 1464	79.8%	★★★★☆
2021	63.7	488 of 1444	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	69.1	385 of 1430	73.1%	★★★★☆
2018	57.9	593 of 1413	58.0%	★★★☆☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	41.9	46 of 67	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	50.7	43 of 72	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	43.5	46 of 75	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	58.2	30 of 81	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	62.1	28 of 85	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	53.7	35 of 76	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	66.6	19 of 72	73.6%	★★★★☆
2018	63.2	27 of 76	64.5%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	64.1	66 of 181	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	48.8	93 of 175	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	66.8	50 of 159	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	47.8	80 of 154	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	76.4	24 of 133	82.0%	★★★★☆
2021	50.4	40 of 97	58.8%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	31.1	606 of 815	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	43.4	422 of 821	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	52.5	292 of 801	63.5%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	46.1	656 of 1146	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	53.3	547 of 1172	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	58.9	473 of 1166	59.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	66.8	362 of 1183	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	59.9	452 of 1194	62.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	50.5	566 of 1172	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	52.4	571 of 1183	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	47.7	671 of 1178	43.0%	★★☆☆☆

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)

African American (2026)75th percentile+16 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)64th percentile+5 vs school

Female (2026)59th percentile~ school

Male (2026)58th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)55th percentile-4 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)55th percentile-4 vs school

Hispanic (2026)52nd percentile-6 vs school

White (2026)43rd percentile-16 vs school

Military Connected (2026)31st percentile-28 vs school

Disabled (2022)28th percentile-48 vs school

Special Education (2026)26th percentile-33 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)19th percentile-39 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics69%+6 vs state

Science63%-5 vs state

Reading56%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Benhaven 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
Benhaven Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	520 Olive Farm Dr	Sanford	27332	Lee County	Harnett County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 499-4811	1,065	65	16.4	44.3%	494 (46.4%)	222 (20.8%)	211 (19.8%)	20 (1.9%)	3 (0.3%)	6 (0.6%)	109 (10.2%)	57.8	614^th of 1492 public elementary schools	58.8%		66.8	449^th of 1490 public elementary schools	69.9%	165	72.3	67.6	68.5	55.5	58.0	53.3	63.0	$8,663	$866	$7,797
Johnsonville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	18495 NC HWY 27 West	Cameron	28326	Harnett County	Harnett County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 499-4912	489	31	15.5	99.2%	171 (35.0%)	116 (23.7%)	152 (31.1%)	4 (0.8%)	5 (1.0%)	3 (0.6%)	38 (7.8%)	69.1	433^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	71.0%		47.3	793^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	46.8%	360	75.3	75.3	73.0	57.0	58.9	59.5	77.0	$9,975	$1,423	$8,552
Highland Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1915 Buffalo Lake Road	Sanford	27330	Lee County	Harnett County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 499-2200	854	57	15.0	54.6%	382 (44.7%)	154 (18.0%)	238 (27.9%)	6 (0.7%)	2 (0.2%)	8 (0.9%)	64 (7.5%)	55.4	649^th of 1492 public elementary schools	56.5%		56.7	615^th of 1490 public elementary schools	58.7%	34	77.1	58.5	54.7	61.4	55.8	55.5	65.6	$8,595	$1,050	$7,546
Anderson Creek Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	4940 Ray Road	Spring Lake	28390	Cumberland County	Anderson Creek Academy	Yes	No	No	No	(910) 814-9001	305	20	15.2		174 (57.0%)	36 (11.8%)	45 (14.8%)	2 (0.7%)	9 (3.0%)	2 (0.7%)	37 (12.1%)	91.2	96^th of 1492 public elementary schools	93.6%		92.6	77^th of 1490 public elementary schools	94.8%	19	84.4	83.7	72.1	80.0	86.0	88.4	93.0
Greenwood Elementary	Public	K-5	1127 Greenwood Rd	Sanford	28355	Lee County	Lee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 776-0506	571	39	14.8	99.5%	246 (43.1%)	61 (10.7%)	220 (38.5%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	39 (6.8%)	74	341^st of 1492 public elementary schools	77.1%		65.6	470^th of 1490 public elementary schools	68.5%	129	83.5	77.1	72.1	55.3	63.3	61.3	80.2	$9,213	$1,139	$8,074
J Glenn Edwards Elementary	Public	K-5	3115 Cemetery Rd	Sanford	27332	Lee County	Lee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 774-3733	587	36	16.4	99.5%	179 (30.5%)	98 (16.7%)	272 (46.3%)	7 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	28 (4.8%)	42.3	874^th of 1492 public elementary schools	41.4%		41.6	888^th of 1490 public elementary schools	40.4%	14	61.6	53.2	69.7	43.4	46.8	52.8	67.4	$9,176	$1,462	$7,714
Broadway Elementary	Public	K-5	307 S Main St	Broadway	27505	Lee County	Lee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 258-3828	490	31	15.5	96.9%	150 (30.6%)	80 (16.3%)	237 (48.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.1%)	36.9	962^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	35.5%		18.4	1310^th of 1490 public elementary schools	12.1%	348	47.6	55.4	65.7	39.0	49.4	47.8	70.1	$9,542	$1,101	$8,441
Boone Trail Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1425 Adcock Road	Lillington	27552	Harnett County	Harnett County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 893-4013	545	37	14.7	98.7%	229 (42.0%)	79 (14.5%)	208 (38.2%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.6%)	25	1189^th of 1492 public elementary schools	20.3%		20.9	1263^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	15.2%	74	71.3	43.6	45.5	52.1	38.3	30.7	42.6	$9,275	$1,308	$7,968
Rising Leaders Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	2732 Industrial Drive	Sanford	27332	Lee County	Rising Leaders Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(919) 745-1442	282	28	9.9	98.2%	55 (19.5%)	107 (37.9%)	84 (29.8%)	4 (1.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (11.0%)	14.1	1375^th of 1492 public elementary schools	7.8%		18	1315^th of 1490 public elementary schools	11.7%	60	45.9	36.8	42.4	45.9	28.9	39.4	39.4
Overhills Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2626 Ray Road	Spring Lake	28390	Cumberland County	Harnett County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 436-3545	866	53	16.2	54.4%	272 (31.4%)	269 (31.1%)	187 (21.6%)	8 (0.9%)	5 (0.6%)	11 (1.3%)	114 (13.2%)	55.5	648^th of 1492 public elementary schools	56.6%		45.1	830^th of 1490 public elementary schools	44.3%	182	67.5	55.5	67.5	59.6	58.9	52.0	69.1	$8,755	$1,118	$7,637

Frequently Asked Questions about Benhaven Elementary

What schools do graduates of Benhaven Elementary attend?

Students who attend Benhaven Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Western Harnett High

What is the racial makeup of Benhaven Elementary?

Students at Benhaven Elementary are 46% White, 21% African American, 20% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What district is Benhaven Elementary in?

Harnett County Schools

How many students attend Benhaven Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,065 students attended Benhaven Elementary.

Is Benhaven Elementary a good school?

Benhaven Elementary ranks 614^th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Benhaven Elementary!

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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.