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S Ray Lowder Elementary

Q: Is S Ray Lowder Elementary a good school?

S Ray Lowder Elementary ranks 883 rd of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

883^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 41% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

S Ray Lowder Elementary serves 306 students in grades PK-5 in Lincolnton, NC. It is part of Lincoln County Schools, a district rated 4 stars and ranked in the 70th percentile statewide. The school itself sits at the 41st percentile in North Carolina elementary rankings for 2025-2026, having fluctuated between the 34th and 55th percentiles over the past decade. The student body is almost entirely economically disadvantaged, with 97.4% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. On the positive side, the school maintains a relatively favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.4, showing that class sizes are not the main obstacle to learning.

Academically, the biggest challenges are 3rd and 5th grade math, where proficiency runs roughly 15-20 points behind district averages. Fifth grade science is another soft spot, at 62.9% proficiency versus 76.3% districtwide and 67.7% statewide. The 4th grade, however, is a clear bright spot: 4th grade reading reached 58.7%, matching district and state averages, and 4th grade math came within one point of the district's average. Chronic absenteeism is a persistent concern, running above 20% for five consecutive years — 22.1% in 2024-2025 against the district's 17.2%. Since attendance is strongly tied to achievement, reducing chronic absences is one of the most promising levers for improvement.

The most revealing comparison is with nearby schools serving nearly identical student populations. Battleground Elementary (1.5 miles away) ranks at the 75th percentile, Union Elementary (7.9 miles) at the 80th, and Iron Station Elementary (4.5 miles) at the 62nd — all with free/reduced-price lunch rates above 97%. These schools also keep chronic absenteeism below 20%, and in fifth grade science they reach 77-81% proficiency while S Ray Lowder sits near 63%. That gap demonstrates the school's struggles are not an inevitable result of poverty. There are also signs of hope at S Ray Lowder itself: one student subgroup moved from the 22nd to the 64th percentile in a single year, showing that, with targeted effort, improvement can happen quickly.

306

Students ?

13.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

97.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

350 Kennedy Dr
Lincolnton, NC 28092-3260

(704) 735-2741

District: Lincoln County Schools

Students who attend S Ray Lowder Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Lincolnton Middle
High:	Lincolnton High

Racial breakdown:

White:

49.7%

Hispanic:

23.2%

African American:

16.3%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare S Ray Lowder Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 42nd percentile in 2006 → 41st in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (55% vs 61% meeting standards)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school55%

District avg65%

North Carolina avg61%

883^rd of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 41%▼ down 7 pts since 2018

From bottom 48% (2018) to bottom 41% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

75^th of 246Lincoln 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	41.8	883 of 1492	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	47.2	798 of 1490	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	54.2	681 of 1505	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.4	743 of 1502	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	42.4	877 of 1514	42.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	37.9	899 of 1489	39.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	38.1	967 of 1473	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	50.0	744 of 1434	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2006	48.2	742 of 1276	41.8%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2019	53.6	392 of 949	58.7%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	48.3	752 of 1447	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	41.4	876 of 1451	39.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	58.6	565 of 1455	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.3	798 of 1459	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.1	829 of 1458	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	35.0	910 of 1440	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	45.2	822 of 1424	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	61.5	559 of 1405	60.2%	★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	54.6	438 of 710	38.3%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	58.0	351 of 981	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	29.2	749 of 961	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	28.5	722 of 893	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	64.1	215 of 843	74.5%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	42.8	843 of 1434	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	39.7	922 of 1437	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	59.8	509 of 1450	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	60.7	479 of 1437	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	54.4	575 of 1366	57.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	46.9	659 of 1329	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	44.9	791 of 1361	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	42.4	800 of 1332	39.9%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	36.5	942 of 1451	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	53.2	663 of 1450	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	47.8	789 of 1464	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	55.6	633 of 1461	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	41.6	869 of 1464	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	42.1	817 of 1444	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	32.8	1063 of 1430	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	42.8	882 of 1413	37.6%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	40.2	467 of 821	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	55.0	269 of 801	66.4%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	41.4	724 of 1146	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	46.9	654 of 1172	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	50.6	600 of 1166	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.1	810 of 1183	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	27.9	950 of 1194	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	21.6	1004 of 1172	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	29.4	941 of 1183	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.6	1012 of 1178	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Hispanic (2026)64th percentile+23 vs school

African American (2019)59th percentile+24 vs school

Female (2026)48th percentile+7 vs school

Special Education (2025)43rd percentile-3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)41st percentile~ school

Gifted and Talented (2025)38th percentile-8 vs school

White (2026)37th percentile-4 vs school

Male (2026)35th percentile-6 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science63%-5 vs state

Mathematics56%-7 vs state

Reading52%-4 vs state

★

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Schools Near S Ray Lowder 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 Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
S Ray Lowder Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	350 Kennedy Dr	Lincolnton	28092	Lincoln County	Lincoln County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 735-2741	306	23	13.4	97.4%	152 (49.7%)	50 (16.3%)	71 (23.2%)	6 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (8.8%)	41.8	883^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	40.8%		47.2	798^th of 1490 public elementary schools	46.4%	85	51.1	65.2	51.4		46.8	58.7	51.4		62.9	$10,042	$1,245	$8,797
GE Massey Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	130 Newbold St	Lincolnton	28092	Lincoln County	Lincoln County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 735-2322	370	27	13.6	99.2%	175 (47.3%)	63 (17.0%)	103 (27.8%)	7 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.9%)	31.1	1071^st of 1492 public elementary schools	28.2%		31.2	1070^th of 1490 public elementary schools	28.2%	1	70.2	55.4	41.5		43.9	41.5	41.5		53.7	$9,086	$1,289	$7,797
Battleground Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	301 Jeb Seagle Dr	Lincolnton	28092	Lincoln County	Lincoln County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 736-1626	420	32	13.1	97.1%	190 (45.2%)	66 (15.7%)	118 (28.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (10.7%)	72.2	374^th of 1492 public elementary schools	74.9%		71.3	369^th of 1490 public elementary schools	75.2%	5	88.2	71.0	87.1		70.6	54.8	48.4		80.6	$9,785	$1,121	$8,664
Love Memorial Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1463 Love Memorial Sch Rd	Lincolnton	28092	Lincoln County	Lincoln County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 735-5649	315	25	12.4	99.0%	244 (77.5%)	10 (3.2%)	38 (12.1%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.0%)	18.7	1304^th of 1492 public elementary schools	12.6%		24.6	1194^th of 1490 public elementary schools	19.9%	110	61.5	35.1	39.5		53.8	29.7	32.6		39.5	$12,264	$1,597	$10,666
Childers Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2595 Rock Dam Road	Lincolnton	28092	Lincoln County	Lincoln County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 736-9610	418	30	13.7	97.1%	306 (73.2%)	10 (2.4%)	81 (19.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.5%)	30.6	1078^th of 1492 public elementary schools	27.7%		42.6	868^th of 1490 public elementary schools	41.7%	210	40.7	49.3	66.2		33.9	40.3	43.1		69.2	$9,897	$1,409	$8,488
Iron Station Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4207 Hwy 27 E	Iron Station	28080	Lincoln County	Lincoln County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 736-4292	367	29	12.6	98.6%	279 (76.0%)	16 (4.4%)	43 (11.7%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.1%)	61.1	563^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	62.3%		77.3	288^th of 1490 public elementary schools	80.7%	275	71.0	74.5	68.9		40.3	59.6	62.2		77.8	$10,349	$1,187	$9,162
Pumpkin Center Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	3970 King Wilkinson Road	Lincolnton	28092	Lincoln County	Lincoln County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 736-1394	325	24	13.6	99.1%	260 (80.0%)	10 (3.1%)	32 (9.8%)	11 (3.4%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.1%)								(n/a)										$9,198	$156	$9,042
Pumpkin Center Intermediate	Public	3-5	3980 King Wilkinson Road	Lincolnton	28092	Lincoln County	Lincoln County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 736-1504	295	19	15.9	99.0%	239 (81.0%)	4 (1.4%)	31 (10.5%)	8 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.4%)	57.2	623^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	58.2%		59.6	571^st of 1490 public elementary schools	61.7%	52	60.5	48.2	69.8		54.7	49.4	65.1		83.0	$9,377	$670	$8,707
Union Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4875 Reepsville Rd	Vale	28168	Lincoln County	Lincoln County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 276-1493	342	22	15.2	99.1%	310 (90.6%)	2 (0.6%)	15 (4.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.1%)	76	302^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	79.8%		72.4	356^th of 1490 public elementary schools	76.1%	54	74.1	72.6	77.6		58.6	69.4	61.2		89.8	$10,166	$909	$9,257
Maiden Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	245 Bob Smyre Ave	Maiden	28650	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 428-8769	562	32	17.6	98.9%	357 (63.5%)	48 (8.5%)	92 (16.4%)	26 (4.6%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (6.4%)	70.9	398^th of 1492 public elementary schools	73.3%		67.8	431^st of 1490 public elementary schools	71.1%	33	81.4	67.9	78.0	74.1	65.7	60.7	57.3	51.9	78.0	$9,171	$1,063	$8,108

Frequently Asked Questions about S Ray Lowder Elementary

How many students attend S Ray Lowder Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 306 students attended S Ray Lowder Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of S Ray Lowder Elementary?

Students at S Ray Lowder Elementary are 50% White, 23% Hispanic, 16% African American, 9% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What district is S Ray Lowder Elementary in?

Lincoln County Schools

What schools do graduates of S Ray Lowder Elementary attend?

Students who attend S Ray Lowder Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Lincolnton Middle
High : Lincolnton High

Is S Ray Lowder Elementary a good school?

S Ray Lowder Elementary ranks 883^rd of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate S Ray Lowder Elementary!

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Latest North Carolina data All new data »

2017–18 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesNewSep 2, 2026

2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresNewSep 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.