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Childers Elementary

Q: Is Childers Elementary a good school?

Childers Elementary ranks 1078 th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1078^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 28% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Childers Elementary is a PK–5 school in Lincolnton, North Carolina, serving 418 students as part of Lincoln County Schools, a district that overall earns a 4-star rating and ranks in the 70th percentile statewide. The school itself, however, has experienced a striking decline: it ranked 1,078th out of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools in 2025–2026, placing it in the 28th percentile with a 1-star rating. That is a steep fall from 2020–2021, when Childers sat in the 81st percentile and earned 4 stars. The school serves a heavily economically disadvantaged population — 97.1% of students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch in 2024–2025.

Academically, Childers trails district and state averages by wide margins in the early grades. In 3rd grade, just 33.9% of students met reading benchmarks and 40.7% met math benchmarks, compared with district rates of 58.4% and 72.0%. Fourth-grade reading tells a similar story at 40.3% proficiency. Yet not every result is negative: 5th-grade math proficiency (66.2%) is near the state average, and 5th-grade science (69.2%) actually exceeds it — a sign that older students can recover ground even if early-grade intervention remains a critical weakness. Chronic absenteeism is also elevated, with 21.8% of students chronically absent in 2024–2025, well above the district average of 17.2%.

What makes Childers' situation most notable is that nearby schools with nearly identical demographics perform far better. Union Elementary, about 3.8 miles away, ranks in the 80th percentile, and Battleground Elementary, 3.0 miles away, sits in the 75th percentile — both serve student populations that are 97–99% economically disadvantaged, just like Childers. Poverty alone does not explain the gap; attendance and school-specific factors appear to play a larger role. Higher-performing nearby schools have meaningfully lower chronic absenteeism (Union at 15.7%, Battleground at 19.1%), while lower-ranked Love Memorial Elementary has the area's highest rate at 24.7%. Given Childers' competitive 5th-grade STEM results and the clear success of neighboring schools serving similar students, improvement is achievable through a concentrated focus on early-grade reading, attendance, and targeted intervention.

418

Students ?

13.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

97.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2595 Rock Dam Road
Lincolnton, NC 28092

(704) 736-9610

District: Lincoln County Schools

Students who attend Childers Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	West Lincoln Middle
High:	West Lincoln High

Racial breakdown:

White:

73.2%

Hispanic:

19.4%

Two or more races:

4.5%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Childers Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 83rd percentile in 2016 → 28th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (49% vs 61% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 55 percentile points since 2016

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school49%

District avg65%

North Carolina avg61%

1,078^th of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 28%▼ down 55 pts since 2016

From top 17% (2016) to bottom 28% (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	30.6	1078 of 1492	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	42.6	868 of 1490	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	42.3	881 of 1505	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	53.8	699 of 1502	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	51.6	712 of 1514	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	77.5	278 of 1489	81.3%	★★★★☆
2019	50.1	766 of 1473	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	54.6	669 of 1434	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2017	76.2	300 of 1429	79.0%	★★★★☆
2016	79.1	245 of 1425	82.8%	★★★★☆
2015	79.6	248 of 1440	82.8%	★★★★☆
2014	84.8	172 of 1390	87.6%	★★★★☆
2013	69.6	369 of 1403	73.7%	★★★★☆
2012	65.8	483 of 1388	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2011	65.2	514 of 1381	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2010	67.8	442 of 1363	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2009	60.2	604 of 1354	55.4%	★★★☆☆
2008	65.2	445 of 1324	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2007	62.1	505 of 1293	60.9%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	38.8	358 of 634	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	40.3	521 of 878	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	20.2	816 of 897	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	33.6	1024 of 1447	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	43.3	843 of 1451	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	43.3	831 of 1455	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	50.3	732 of 1459	49.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	63.2	496 of 1458	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	76.0	273 of 1440	81.0%	★★★★☆
2019	58.4	583 of 1424	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	58.5	613 of 1405	56.4%	★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	56.4	417 of 743	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	62.3	273 of 710	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	46.4	523 of 669	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	68.2	79 of 582	86.4%	★★★★☆
2022	54.6	304 of 500	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	77.4	13 of 494	97.4%	★★★★★
2019	65.9	58 of 612	90.5%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	43.3	588 of 981	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	44.1	551 of 961	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	39.5	602 of 951	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	48.5	462 of 915	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	51.3	388 of 893	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	63.7	219 of 843	74.0%	★★★★☆
2019	34.4	623 of 865	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	54.8	351 of 851	58.8%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	23.7	1242 of 1434	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	46.1	781 of 1437	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	53.3	634 of 1450	56.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.4	520 of 1437	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	36.7	903 of 1366	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	83.5	113 of 1329	91.5%	★★★★★
2019	53.5	610 of 1361	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	54.2	600 of 1332	55.0%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	28.7	1089 of 1451	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	43.0	841 of 1450	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.6	879 of 1464	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	57.7	607 of 1461	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	39.5	903 of 1464	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	74.6	324 of 1444	77.6%	★★★★☆
2019	42.9	865 of 1430	39.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	50.6	744 of 1413	47.3%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	27.8	649 of 815	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	29.6	609 of 801	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	15.1	1060 of 1146	7.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	26.0	952 of 1172	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.2	962 of 1166	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	33.8	855 of 1183	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	35.0	830 of 1194	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	65.5	372 of 1172	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	31.1	917 of 1183	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	37.4	824 of 1178	30.1%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Gifted and Talented (2026)44th percentile+16 vs school

Disabled (2022)44th percentile-9 vs school

Hispanic (2026)40th percentile+12 vs school

Female (2026)29th percentile~ school

Male (2026)25th percentile-3 vs school

Special Education (2026)20th percentile-7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)13th percentile-14 vs school

White (2026)8th percentile-20 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science69%~ state avg

Mathematics52%-11 vs state

Reading39%-17 vs state

★

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Schools Near Childers 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
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
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
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
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
W B Beam Intermediate School	Public	4-5	401 East First Street	Cherryville	28021	Gaston County	Gaston County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 836-9114	191	10	18.4	98.4%	128 (67.0%)	23 (12.0%)	29 (15.2%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (5.2%)	43	860^th of 1492 public elementary schools	42.4%		48.9	761^st of 1490 public elementary schools	48.9%	99		60.2	53.1		56.6	45.9	65.3	$9,330	$1,251	$8,080
North Brook Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	642 Hwy 274	Vale	28168	Lincoln County	Lincoln County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 276-2479	344	24	14.5	99.1%	296 (86.0%)	6 (1.7%)	23 (6.7%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.7%)	64.3	513^th of 1492 public elementary schools	65.6%		63.1	510^th of 1490 public elementary schools	65.8%	3	80.3	74.5	66.7	65.2	60.0	41.2	68.6	$9,492	$999	$8,493
Cherryville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-3	700 East Academy Street	Cherryville	28021	Gaston County	Gaston County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 836-9115	378	28	13.5	99.2%	290 (76.7%)	26 (6.9%)	37 (9.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (6.1%)								(n/a)	65.3			49.0				$10,948	$1,062	$9,886
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Childers Elementary

How many students attend Childers Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 418 students attended Childers Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Childers Elementary?

Students at Childers Elementary are 73% White, 19% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 2% African American.

What schools do graduates of Childers Elementary attend?

Students who attend Childers Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : West Lincoln Middle
High : West Lincoln High

What district is Childers Elementary in?

Lincoln County Schools

Is Childers Elementary a good school?

Childers Elementary ranks 1078^th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Rate Childers 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.