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Union Elementary

Q: Is Union Elementary a good school?

Union Elementary ranks 545 th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-6

545^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 63% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Union Elementary is a PK-6 school in Rowland, NC, serving 351 students in the Public Schools of Robeson County. Despite serving a student population where over 99% qualify for free/reduced-price lunch, Union has become a remarkable academic standout, climbing from the 11th percentile in statewide rankings five years ago to its current 63rd percentile (545th of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools) with a 3-star rating.

Union's strongest performance is in math and science, where scores consistently exceed both district and state averages. In 6th-grade math, 77.8% of students are proficient—nearly 38 points above the district average and almost 19 points above the state. Fifth-grade science proficiency sits at 81.6%, more than 33 points above the Robeson County average. Among nearby schools in the same district, Union is the clear academic leader, outperforming schools like Prospect Elementary, Pembroke Elementary, and Fairgrove Elementary School by wide margins in most subjects. The only nearby school with stronger overall results is Old Main STREAM Academy, which belongs to a different, higher-rated district—though Union actually matches or exceeds Old Main in some math results. Reading is the area with the most room for growth: while 3rd-grade reading is strong (11 points above the state), proficiency drops below state averages in 4th and 5th grades.

What makes Union's success especially notable is that it isn't explained by higher spending—its per-student spending is actually lower than most nearby schools. Instead, attendance appears to play a key role: Union's chronic absenteeism rate of 29.7% is far better than the district average of 42.1% and most neighboring schools. The school also achieves exceptional outcomes with historically underserved student groups, ranking in the 90th percentile statewide for Native American students and the 77th percentile for low-income students. For parents, Union Elementary represents a high-poverty rural school delivering results that rival much more affluent schools, with a clear upward trajectory.

351

Students ?

15.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

Community Eligibility

All students receive free meals (2024-25) ?

2547 NC Hwy 710 South
Rowland, NC 28383-9599

(910) 521-4272

District: Public Schools of Robeson County

Students who attend Union Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Pembroke Middle
High:	PSRC Early College at RCC

Racial breakdown:

American Indian:

84.0%

Hispanic:

5.1%

Two or more races:

5.1%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Union Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 28th percentile in 2016 → 63rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 35 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the North Carolina median (63rd percentile)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school65%

District avg44%

North Carolina avg60%

545^th of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 37%▲ up 36 pts since 2016

From bottom 28% (2016) to top 37% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

190^th of 246Public Schools of Robeson County 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	62.2	545 of 1492	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	56.0	636 of 1490	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	41.6	900 of 1505	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	48.0	795 of 1502	47.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	26.2	1151 of 1514	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	14.3	1322 of 1489	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	35.1	1016 of 1473	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	33.6	1031 of 1434	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	28.2	1103 of 1429	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	32.8	1032 of 1425	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	37.1	973 of 1440	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2014	28.6	1029 of 1390	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	37.6	889 of 1403	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2012	54.7	698 of 1388	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2011	48.0	823 of 1381	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2010	34.9	998 of 1363	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	31.5	1018 of 1354	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	20.3	1133 of 1324	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	17.1	1163 of 1293	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	30.8	995 of 1276	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2021	18.4	613 of 646	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	43.1	477 of 878	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	47.3	409 of 897	54.4%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	52.8	672 of 1447	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	52.0	692 of 1451	52.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	37.9	946 of 1455	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	39.6	887 of 1459	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.1	995 of 1458	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	14.3	1292 of 1440	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	44.1	844 of 1424	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.8	948 of 1405	32.5%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	68.3	336 of 1434	76.6%	★★★★☆
2025	60.6	468 of 1437	67.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	51.0	675 of 1450	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	59.9	496 of 1437	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	28.8	1056 of 1366	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	13.4	1277 of 1329	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	46.0	771 of 1361	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	29.5	1031 of 1332	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	68.1	428 of 1451	70.5%	★★★★☆
2025	57.9	584 of 1450	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	43.5	847 of 1464	42.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	54.0	665 of 1461	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	23.2	1176 of 1464	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.3	1247 of 1444	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	26.9	1149 of 1430	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	28.6	1102 of 1413	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Native American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	86.0	3 of 29	89.7%	★★★★★
2025	86.3	2 of 30	93.3%	★★★★★
2024	72.9	2 of 28	92.9%	★★★★★
2023	82.6	2 of 29	93.1%	★★★★★
2022	58.5	10 of 29	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	43.0	18 of 28	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	67.7	8 of 27	70.4%	★★★★☆
2018	67.2	5 of 28	82.1%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	34.3	553 of 821	32.6%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Native American (2026)90th percentile+26 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)77th percentile+13 vs school

Male (2026)71st percentile+7 vs school

Female (2026)54th percentile-10 vs school

Special Education (2025)33rd percentile-25 vs school

Disabled (2021)5th percentile-6 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science82%+14 vs state

Mathematics70%+8 vs state

Reading54%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Union 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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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 Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Union Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	2547 NC Hwy 710 South	Rowland	28383	Robeson County	Public Schools of Robeson County	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 521-4272	351	22	15.7	—	9 (2.6%)	11 (3.1%)	18 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	295 (84.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.1%)	62.2	545^th of 1492 public elementary schools	63.5%		56	636^th of 1490 public elementary schools	57.3%	91	64.6	67.4	73.5	77.8			66.7	46.5	49.0	52.8			81.6		$9,927	$1,943	$7,984
Pembroke Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	505 South Jones Street	Pembroke	28372	Robeson County	Public Schools of Robeson County	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 521-4204	703	44	15.8	—	24 (3.4%)	40 (5.7%)	31 (4.4%)	3 (0.4%)	559 (79.5%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (6.5%)	39.6	914^th of 1492 public elementary schools	38.7%		28.2	1115^th of 1490 public elementary schools	25.2%	201	61.0	55.0	58.1				48.8	50.5	45.3				64.2		$9,720	$1,679	$8,041
Old Main STREAM Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	200 North Odum Street	Pembroke	28372	Robeson County	Old Main Stream	Yes	No	No	No	(910) 775-9191	437	32	13.5	—	5 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (2.5%)	1 (0.2%)	373 (85.4%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (10.5%)	78.3	266^th of 1492 public elementary schools	82.2%		70	395^th of 1490 public elementary schools	73.5%	129	87.0	72.9	72.9	75.5	80.4	75.6	68.1	70.8	54.2	61.2	56.5	65.9	83.3	85.4
Deep Branch Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	4045 Deep Branch Road	Lumberton	28360	Robeson County	Public Schools of Robeson County	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 738-2514	374	24	15.8	—	11 (2.9%)	25 (6.7%)	32 (8.6%)	0 (0.0%)	284 (75.9%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.9%)	25.3	1178^th of 1492 public elementary schools	21.0%		19.2	1291^st of 1490 public elementary schools	13.4%	113	67.8	50.0	44.4	51.6			39.7	39.5	36.5	54.8			30.2		$10,490	$1,754	$8,735
Prospect Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	4024 Missouri Road	Maxton	28364	Robeson County	Public Schools of Robeson County	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 521-4766	775	52	14.9	—	17 (2.2%)	14 (1.8%)	14 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	704 (90.8%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.4%)	41.2	892^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	40.2%		40.7	905^th of 1490 public elementary schools	39.3%	13	70.3	48.8	64.1	53.5	62.8	77.8	44.0	43.9	42.3	54.9	58.5	62.2	66.7	78.9	$9,609	$1,583	$8,026
Southside Ashpole Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	607 S Martin Luther King St	Rowland	28383	Robeson County	Public Schools of Robeson County	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(910) 422-3791	206	16	12.6	96.6%	9 (4.4%)	78 (37.9%)	9 (4.4%)	1 (0.5%)	92 (44.7%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (8.3%)	12	1397^th of 1492 public elementary schools	6.4%		7.8	1444^th of 1490 public elementary schools	3.1%	47	40.0	19.4	48.1				34.3	32.3	33.3				55.6
Union Chapel Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	4271 Union Chapel Road	Pembroke	28372	Robeson County	Public Schools of Robeson County	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 521-4456	442	29	15.0	—	10 (2.3%)	20 (4.5%)	134 (30.3%)	0 (0.0%)	266 (60.2%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.7%)	24.9	1194^th of 1492 public elementary schools	20.0%		26.2	1151^st of 1490 public elementary schools	22.8%	43	47.4	49.2	51.9	60.0			30.8	47.7	44.4	39.2			50.9		$9,976	$1,620	$8,356
Townsend Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	105 Carolina Street	Maxton	28364	Robeson County	Public Schools of Robeson County	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 844-5086	280	17	16.1	—	8 (2.9%)	157 (56.1%)	19 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	84 (30.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.3%)	27.3	1154^th of 1492 public elementary schools	22.7%		7.3	1447^th of 1490 public elementary schools	2.9%	293	81.8	23.1	14.7				65.9	23.1	17.6				17.6		$12,374	$1,964	$10,410
Fairgrove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1953 Fairgrove School Road	Fairmont	28340	Robeson County	Public Schools of Robeson County	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 628-8290	291	20	14.5	—	31 (10.7%)	63 (21.6%)	28 (9.6%)	0 (0.0%)	133 (45.7%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (12.4%)	30	1095^th of 1492 public elementary schools	26.6%		15.1	1349^th of 1490 public elementary schools	9.5%	254	49.0	49.0	62.8				30.6	41.2	44.2				71.4		$11,464	$1,935	$9,529
Rosenwald Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	301 Martin L King Dr	Fairmont	28340	Robeson County	Public Schools of Robeson County	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 628-4291	343	21	16.0	—	34 (9.9%)	172 (50.1%)	25 (7.3%)	4 (1.2%)	72 (21.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (10.5%)	7.5	1447^th of 1492 public elementary schools	3.0%		5.8	1463^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	1.8%	16	45.5	31.1					31.8	27.0							$11,487	$2,147	$9,339

Frequently Asked Questions about Union Elementary

What schools do graduates of Union Elementary attend?

Students who attend Union Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Pembroke Middle
High : PSRC Early College at RCC

What is the racial makeup of Union Elementary?

Students at Union Elementary are 84% American Indian, 5% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 3% African American, 3% White.

How many students attend Union Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 351 students attended Union Elementary.

Is Union Elementary a good school?

Union Elementary ranks 545^th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Union Elementary in?

Public Schools of Robeson County

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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.