Mt Ulla Elementary

Mt Ulla Elementary is a small K–5 school in rural Mount Ulla, NC, serving about 281 students in the Rowan-Salisbury Schools district. Although this district ranks in the 19th percentile statewide, Mt Ulla itself is a standout: it ranks roughly 292nd out of nearly 1,500 North Carolina elementary schools, putting it in the 80th percentile with a 4-star rating. The school has improved steadily from the 51st percentile in 2017–18 to its current top-quintile position.

In the most recent school year, Mt Ulla outperformed the district and the state in every subject and grade level tested. Math is its signature subject: 5th-grade proficiency reached 92.5%, compared with 48.5% in the district and 62.9% statewide, and 4th-grade math also towers above both averages. Nearly all students qualify for free/reduced meals — the rate is above 98% — yet the school's economically disadvantaged students rank at the 90th percentile statewide, and its Hispanic students rank at the 93rd percentile. Among nearby schools with state rankings, Mt Ulla is the highest: it outranks East Mooresville Intermediate (73rd percentile), Millbridge Elementary (71st), Mooresville Intermediate (69th), Shepherd Elementary (52nd), Iredell Charter Academy of Arts & Science (34th), West Rowan Elementary (16th), and Knollwood Elementary (7th) — even topping schools in the higher-ranked Mooresville Graded School District.

Attendance is another strength: 15.1% of students are chronically absent — far below the state's 24.2% and less than half of Rowan-Salisbury's 34.2%. Reading results have been more variable than math from year to year, and the school's Gifted/Talented subgroup currently ranks at the 39th percentile despite the school's overall top-quintile ranking, so parents should expect some annual swings with only about 45–55 students per grade. The overall picture remains encouraging: a high-poverty school with top-quintile achievement, strong attendance, and exceptional math results by the upper elementary years.