River Park Elementary

Summary:

River Park Elementary is a public elementary school located in Hillsborough, North Carolina, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 559 and part of the Orange County Schools district.

River Park Elementary consistently ranks in the top 25% of North Carolina elementary schools, with strong academic performance that significantly outpaces the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, 75.3% of 3rd graders were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 66.2% for the district and 62.7% for the state. The school's reading assessment results are also impressive, with 63.9% of 3rd graders and 69.4% of 4th graders proficient or better, outperforming the district and state. This consistent academic excellence suggests that River Park Elementary has effective teaching practices, curriculum, and support systems in place to help students succeed.

While River Park Elementary has a higher percentage of White students (59.03%) compared to the district and state averages, the school still maintains a diverse student population. Interestingly, the school's socioeconomic factors, such as a lower percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients (35.78%) and lower spending per student ($10,994 in 2018-2019) compared to nearby schools, suggest that it may serve a more affluent student population. This could be a contributing factor to the school's strong academic performance, as research has shown that socioeconomic status can influence educational outcomes. When compared to the nearby schools, such as Efland Cheeks Elementary, New Hope Elementary, and Grady Brown Elementary, which have lower academic performance and serve a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students, River Park Elementary stands out as a high-performing school.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 240 St. Mary's Road
       Hillsborough, NC  27278-2521


(919) 732-9326

District: Orange County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
390th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,994 Help


Students who attend River Park Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Orange Middle
High:    Orange High

Student/teacher ratio:  13.4 Help
Number of students:  555

Racial breakdown:

White:
59.5%
Hispanic:
23.8%
Two or more races:
7.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  35.5% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

 Compare River Park Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details River Park Elementary ranks better than 74.1% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 2nd among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Orange County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 70.72. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details River Park Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Orange County Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (59.5%), Hispanic (23.8%), two or more races (7.6%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 35.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at River Park Elementary is 13.4. 4 elementary schools in the Orange County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare River Park Elementary employs 41.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at River Park Elementary is $10,994, which is the lowest among 7 elementary schools in the Orange County Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

River Park Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks River Park Elementary 390th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See River Park Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Orange County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Orange County Schools 125th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for River Park Elementary.

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Rank History for River Park Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at River Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 80.65 171st 1276 86.6%
2007 81.01 157th 1293 87.9%
2008 71.98 313th 1324 76.4%
2009 71.12 374th 1354 72.4%
2010 75.04 295th 1363 78.4%
2011 84.38 134th 1381 90.3%
2012 80.48 193rd 1388 86.1%
2013 88.44 120th 1403 91.4%
2014 81.54 213th 1390 84.7%
2015 78.36 269th 1440 81.3%
2016 75.57 299th 1425 79.0%
2017 77.27 275th 1429 80.8%
2018 70.07 402nd 1434 72.0%
2019 63.24 519th 1473 64.8%
2021 63.21 513th 1489 65.5%
2022 66.25 470th 1514 69.0%
2023 75.46 314th 1502 79.1%
2024 70.72 390th 1505 74.1%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at River Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 20.62 463rd 497 6.8%
2021 38.58 220th 385 42.9%
2022 23.05 427th 485 12.0%
2023 31.52 369th 514 28.2%
2024 35.51 350th 533 34.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at River Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 44.28 388th 801 51.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at River Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.57 931st 1332 30.1%
2019 20.73 1195th 1361 12.2%
2021 26.66 1014th 1329 23.7%
2022 42.97 787th 1366 42.4%
2023 49.25 733rd 1437 49.0%
2024 24.94 1222nd 1450 15.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at River Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.49 471st 1405 66.5%
2019 61.81 522nd 1424 63.3%
2021 61.12 507th 1440 64.8%
2022 62.20 512th 1458 64.9%
2023 69.03 401st 1459 72.5%
2024 69.00 385th 1455 73.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at River Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.65 289th 897 67.8%
2019 33.20 629th 878 28.4%
2021 29.94 487th 646 24.6%
2022 30.94 452nd 634 28.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at River Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 46.68 481st 612 21.4%
2021 50.72 331st 494 33.0%
2022 52.16 340th 500 32.0%
2023 39.26 507th 582 12.9%
2024 42.11 568th 669 15.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at River Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.85 344th 1413 75.7%
2019 63.22 484th 1430 66.2%
2021 62.64 502nd 1444 65.2%
2022 68.34 408th 1464 72.1%
2023 78.68 246th 1461 83.2%
2024 69.56 391st 1464 73.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at River Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.07 636th 927 31.4%
2019 47.55 477th 949 49.7%
2021 51.03 340th 896 62.1%
2024 49.46 435th 924 52.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at River Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.35 555th 851 34.8%
2019 23.91 750th 865 13.3%
2021 34.53 571st 843 32.3%
2022 39.02 565th 893 36.7%
2023 50.93 422nd 915 53.9%
2024 36.22 654th 951 31.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at River Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.87 180th 1178 84.7%
2019 70.84 306th 1183 74.1%
2021 65.08 378th 1172 67.7%
2022 70.05 321st 1194 73.1%
2023 71.44 301st 1183 74.6%
2024 76.76 233rd 1166 80.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

River Park Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

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by a parent
Monday, February 17, 2014

Open Quote My child has been at Cameron Park for 2 years and has enjoyed both years there. The teachers are uniformly excellent, being dedicated and caring. The school does very well academically considering the diverse socio-economic catchment area. There is also a good school community feel, with regular events planned - like the fall festival, Christmas concert and silent auction. The teachers take part and there are quite a few youngish teachers which add energy and vitality to the school.
I thoroughly recommend Cameron Park. Close Quote


by a student
Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Open Quote My school is one of the best schools I have been to, well I have never been to any other schools, but the teachers are nice and firm. They really give fun projects and they teach kids a lot. Close Quote



Enrollment information for River Park Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 525 168 2 3 0 n/a n/a 0 698
1989 536 188 1 4 1 n/a n/a 0 730
1990 559 168 1 5 1 n/a n/a 0 734
1991 564 165 2 6 0 n/a n/a 0 737
1992 481 74 4 4 0 n/a n/a 0 563
1993 468 70 4 2 0 n/a n/a 0 544
1994 513 86 5 1 3 n/a n/a 22 630
1995 573 87 4 9 1 n/a n/a 0 674
1996 573 87 4 9 1 n/a n/a 0 674
1997 524 80 5 13 2 n/a n/a 0 624
1998 523 91 3 7 2 n/a n/a 0 626
1999 465 90 0 12 2 n/a n/a 0 569
2000 496 85 0 15 2 n/a n/a 0 598
2001 461 91 2 21 1 n/a n/a 0 576
2002 260 122 1 28 0 n/a n/a 0 411
2003 260 122 1 28 0 n/a n/a 0 411
2004 249 114 2 25 1 n/a n/a 0 391
2005 265 123 2 29 3 n/a n/a 0 422
2006 257 131 2 41 1 n/a n/a 0 432
2007 364 93 2 28 2 n/a n/a 9 498
2008 414 109 3 38 3 n/a n/a 17 584
2009 449 122 3 39 4 n/a n/a 0 617
2010 456 115 4 54 4 n/a n/a 0 633
2011 448 84 3 66 4 0 17 0 622
2012 443 74 2 93 5 0 20 0 637
2013 450 77 5 100 6 0 19 0 657
2014 445 69 7 108 7 0 19 0 655
2015 371 66 10 116 12 1 14 0 590
2016 369 71 8 124 9 1 23 0 605
2017 393 68 8 139 4 0 28 0 640
2018 353 66 6 149 3 0 29 0 606
2019 354 68 7 129 1 0 39 0 598
2020 352 52 7 133 0 0 54 0 598
2021 321 42 8 128 0 0 31 0 530
2022 322 33 10 137 0 0 46 0 548
2023 330 39 11 139 0 0 40 0 559
2024 330 37 11 132 3 0 42 0 555

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at River Park Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 698 34.0 20.5 19.1
1989 730 34.0 21.4 40.8
1990 734 34.0 21.5 40.9
1991 737 34.0 21.6 40.7
1992 563 34.0 16.5 18.7
1993 544 33.0 16.5 14.9
1994 630 40.0 15.8 15
1995 674 43.0 15.7 18.5
1996 674 43.0 15.7 18.5
1997 624 42.0 14.9 23.7
1998 626 45.0 13.9 22
1999 569 45.0 12.6 33.7
2000 598 45.0 13.3 26.1
2001 576 45.0 12.8 32.5
2002 411 42.0 9.8 50.4
2003 411 42.0 9.8 50.4
2004 391 42.0 9.3 49.6
2005 422 40.0 10.6 47.4
2006 432 40.0 10.8 47
2007 498 n/a n/a 35
2008 584 36.9 15.8 34.2
2009 617 40.8 15.1 29.2
2010 633 37.3 16.9 31.4
2011 622 40.4 15.3 35.9
2012 637 38.9 16.3 36.1
2013 657 42.2 15.5 35.5
2014 655 42.2 15.4 35.6
2015 590 41.0 14.3 38.3
2016 605 39.0 15.5 38.5
2017 640 40.7 15.7 39.2
2018 606 42.0 14.4 40.3
2019 598 41.5 14.4 39.1
2020 598 41.6 14.3 36
2021 530 42.3 12.5 32.1
2022 548 42.5 12.8 34.1
2023 559 40.6 13.7 35.8
2024 555 41.4 13.4 35.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio River Park Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 698 34.0 20.5 19.1
1989 730 34.0 21.4 40.8
1990 734 34.0 21.5 40.9
1991 737 34.0 21.6 40.7
1992 563 34.0 16.5 18.7
1993 544 33.0 16.5 14.9
1994 630 40.0 15.8 15
1995 674 43.0 15.7 18.5
1996 674 43.0 15.7 18.5
1997 624 42.0 14.9 23.7
1998 626 45.0 13.9 22
1999 569 45.0 12.6 33.7
2000 598 45.0 13.3 26.1
2001 576 45.0 12.8 32.5
2002 411 42.0 9.8 50.4
2003 411 42.0 9.8 50.4
2004 391 42.0 9.3 49.6
2005 422 40.0 10.6 47.4
2006 432 40.0 10.8 47
2007 498 n/a n/a 35
2008 584 36.9 15.8 34.2
2009 617 40.8 15.1 29.2
2010 633 37.3 16.9 31.4
2011 622 40.4 15.3 35.9
2012 637 38.9 16.3 36.1
2013 657 42.2 15.5 35.5
2014 655 42.2 15.4 35.6
2015 590 41.0 14.3 38.3
2016 605 39.0 15.5 38.5
2017 640 40.7 15.7 39.2
2018 606 42.0 14.4 40.3
2019 598 41.5 14.4 39.1
2020 598 41.6 14.3 36
2021 530 42.3 12.5 32.1
2022 548 42.5 12.8 34.1
2023 559 40.6 13.7 35.8
2024 555 41.4 13.4 35.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for River Park Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $454 (4.1%) $10,540 (95.9%) $10,994

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on River Park Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 519th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 314th of 1502 Elementary schools
 14.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (River Park Elementary)63.472
 8.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Orange County Schools)55.756.5
 0.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (River Park Elementary)51.563.4
 11.9%
   3rd Grade Reading (Orange County Schools)52.148.8
 3.3%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (River Park Elementary)59.358
 1.3%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Orange County Schools)55.656.5
 0.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (River Park Elementary)5655
 1%
   4th Grade Reading (Orange County Schools)53.353.8
 0.5%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (River Park Elementary)81.377.4
 3.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Orange County Schools)6160.7
 0.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (River Park Elementary)68.877.4
 8.6%
   5th Grade Reading (Orange County Schools)54.151.1
 3%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (River Park Elementary)81.378.6
 2.7%
   5th Grade Science (Orange County Schools)70.661.9
 8.7%
   5th Grade Science (North Carolina)72.665.3
 7.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students598559
 6.5%
African American6839
 42.6%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian711
 57.1%
Hispanic129139
 7.8%
Pacific Islander00
White354330
 6.8%
Two or More Races3940
 2.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients39.1%35.8%
 3.4%


Schools Near River Park Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about River Park Elementary

Students who attend River Park Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Orange Middle
High : Orange High

In the 2023-24 school year, 555 students attended River Park Elementary.

Students at River Park Elementary are 59% White, 24% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 7% African American, 2% Asian.

River Park Elementary ranks 390th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.


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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.





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