Summary
St James Elementary is a PK–5 school in Denver, NC, serving 653 students as part of Lincoln County Schools. The school currently holds a 4-star rating and ranks 435th of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools (71st percentile) — a notable shift for a school that consistently ranked in the 91st–95th percentile between 2015–2016 and 2021–2022. St James serves a relatively low-poverty population, with about 27% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, and chronic absenteeism is low at 9.4%, compared with 17.2% for Lincoln County Schools and 24.2% statewide. The student-teacher ratio is 15.2.
Academically, science is a clear strength: 80% of 5th graders scored proficient on the 2025–2026 state science exam, above the district's 76.3% and the state's 67.7%. Reading and math scores are generally above the state average but only roughly in line with, or slightly below, the district average. This marks a change from earlier years when scores were more robust. The school is now outperformed by nearby schools serving similar student populations. Rock Springs Elementary, just 3 miles away with a similar poverty rate, ranks 118th statewide and beats St James by wide margins in most subjects; 3rd grade reading, for example, is 77.5% at Rock Springs versus 60.2% at St James. Catawba Springs Elementary, about 2 miles away, also outpaces St James in most tested areas despite a somewhat higher poverty rate.
Interestingly, St James's math scores are nearly identical to those at Iron Station Elementary, a school with a much higher poverty rate (98.6% free/reduced lunch eligibility). St James also spends less per student than nearby schools — $7,459 per student, compared with $7,867 at Catawba Springs, $7,824 at Rock Springs, and $10,349 at Iron Station. Subgroup results have been uneven, with notable swings in gifted and special education rankings from year to year. The bottom line: St James has strong attendance, low poverty, and a clear strength in science, but its recent slide and the large gap between it and comparable nearby schools suggest the school has room to improve by learning from what is working well in its own neighborhood.
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