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Harris Elementary School

Q: Is Harris Elementary School a good school?

Harris Elementary School ranks 242 nd of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

242^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,490 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 84% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Harris Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Forest City, North Carolina, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 440 students. The school is part of the Rutherford County Schools district, which is ranked 73 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and is rated 4 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Harris Elementary consistently ranks among the top 25% of North Carolina elementary schools, with a current ranking of 242 out of 1,490 schools (2024-2025). The school's performance on state assessments is significantly higher than the state averages across all grade levels and subject areas, with its 3rd-grade Math proficiency rate at 80.8% compared to the state average of 64.1%, and its 5th-grade Reading proficiency rate at 65.5% compared to the state average of 52.9%. Harris Elementary also excels in supporting its low socioeconomic status (SES) students, ranking in the top 5% of North Carolina elementary schools for this subgroup, and its gifted and talented students, ranking in the top 15% of North Carolina elementary schools in this category.

Despite having an exceptionally high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with nearly 99% of its students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, Harris Elementary is able to achieve exceptional academic outcomes, suggesting effective strategies and support systems in place to address the challenges associated with high-poverty student populations. The school's consistent 4-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past decade, along with its relatively low student-teacher ratio ranging from 13.7 to 14.8 students per teacher, further demonstrate its commitment to delivering high-quality education. When compared to nearby schools, such as Sunshine Elementary, Mt. Vernon-Ruth Elementary, and Ellenboro Elementary, Harris Elementary maintains a clear academic advantage, with only Cliffside Elementary appearing to be on par with its performance.

434

Students ?

16.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,551

Per pupil spending ?

95.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3330 US 221 S Hwy
Forest City, NC 28043-9803

(828) 248-2354

District: Rutherford County Schools

Students who attend Harris Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Chase Middle School
High:	Chase High School
	Rutherford Early College High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.6%

Hispanic:

8.5%

Two or more races:

5.3%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Harris Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 73rd percentile in 2015 → 84th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (71% vs 57% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 16% of North Carolina elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 11 percentile points since 2015

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school71%

District avg66%

North Carolina avg57%

242^nd of 1,490

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 16%▲ up 11 pts since 2015

From top 27% (2015) to top 16% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 10Elementary Schools in the Rutherford County Schools

73^rd of 242Rutherford 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
2025	80.1	242 of 1490	83.8%	★★★★☆
2024	80.6	232 of 1505	84.6%	★★★★☆
2023	81.6	210 of 1502	86.0%	★★★★☆
2022	71.6	378 of 1514	75.0%	★★★★☆
2021	71.6	377 of 1489	74.7%	★★★★☆
2019	70.3	402 of 1473	72.7%	★★★★☆
2018	81.3	204 of 1434	85.8%	★★★★☆
2017	75.7	312 of 1429	78.2%	★★★★☆
2016	69.2	410 of 1425	71.2%	★★★★☆
2015	71.5	386 of 1440	73.2%	★★★★☆
2014	58.6	562 of 1390	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2013	43.2	781 of 1403	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	69.0	429 of 1388	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2011	72.8	343 of 1381	75.2%	★★★★☆
2010	71.6	363 of 1363	73.4%	★★★★☆
2009	72.3	351 of 1354	74.1%	★★★★☆
2008	52.4	676 of 1324	48.9%	★★☆☆☆
2007	46.0	808 of 1293	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2006	39.5	871 of 1276	31.7%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2019	47.6	402 of 878	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.5	188 of 897	79.0%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	72.5	324 of 1451	77.7%	★★★★☆
2024	80.9	203 of 1455	86.0%	★★★★☆
2023	75.4	286 of 1459	80.4%	★★★★☆
2022	68.2	406 of 1458	72.2%	★★★★☆
2021	65.2	431 of 1440	70.1%	★★★★☆
2019	68.3	418 of 1424	70.6%	★★★★☆
2018	78.8	243 of 1405	82.7%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	70.7	102 of 710	85.6%	★★★★☆
2024	70.2	61 of 669	90.9%	★★★★★
2023	61.7	247 of 582	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	69.6	88 of 500	82.4%	★★★★☆
2021	70.7	103 of 494	79.1%	★★★★☆
2019	65.8	95 of 612	84.5%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	88.5	66 of 1437	95.4%	★★★★★
2024	89.9	53 of 1450	96.3%	★★★★★
2023	89.3	62 of 1437	95.7%	★★★★★
2022	84.4	94 of 1366	93.1%	★★★★★
2021	80.7	143 of 1329	89.2%	★★★★☆
2019	67.5	352 of 1361	74.1%	★★★★☆
2018	88.7	54 of 1332	95.9%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	82.7	196 of 1450	86.5%	★★★★☆
2024	76.3	281 of 1464	80.8%	★★★★☆
2023	83.1	181 of 1461	87.6%	★★★★☆
2022	71.9	356 of 1464	75.7%	★★★★☆
2021	74.3	333 of 1444	76.9%	★★★★☆
2019	69.8	376 of 1430	73.7%	★★★★☆
2018	81.7	192 of 1413	86.4%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	31.3	574 of 801	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	59.6	454 of 1172	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	63.3	406 of 1166	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.2	400 of 1183	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	56.1	528 of 1194	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	50.0	575 of 1172	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	45.7	684 of 1183	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	62.0	451 of 1178	61.7%	★★★☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)95th percentile+12 vs school

Male (2025)86th percentile+3 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2025)86th percentile~ school

Female (2025)78th percentile-6 vs school

White (2025)61st percentile-22 vs school

Disabled (2019)54th percentile-18 vs school

Special Education (2024)28th percentile-56 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics76%+15 vs state

Science67%+5 vs state

Reading67%+15 vs state

★

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Schools Near Harris Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOG Mathematics (2025)			EOG Reading (2025)			EOG Science (2025)	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	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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
Harris Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3330 US 221 S Hwy	Forest City	28043	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 248-2354	434	27	16.1	95.9%	367 (84.6%)	5 (1.2%)	37 (8.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.3%)	80.1	242^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	83.8%		80.6	232^nd of 1505 public elementary schools	84.6%	10	80.8	78.3	65.5	60.3	75.4	65.5	67.2	$9,551	$1,364	$8,186
Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	100 Forrest Hunt Drive	Forest City	28043	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 245-2161	460	24	19.2	98.3%	265 (57.6%)	37 (8.0%)	92 (20.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	64 (13.9%)	62.6	521^st of 1490 public elementary schools	65.0%		63.8	511^th of 1505 public elementary schools	66.0%	10	78.5	63.9	70.1	58.5	55.7	47.8	58.2	$10,377	$1,479	$8,898
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	286 Learning Parkway	Forest City	28043	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 245-4978	459	25	18.4	98.3%	140 (30.5%)	161 (35.1%)	89 (19.4%)	8 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (13.3%)	72.3	357^th of 1490 public elementary schools	76.0%		78	278^th of 1505 public elementary schools	81.5%	79	75.8	91.4	55.7	56.1	82.7	44.3	67.2	$12,235	$3,287	$8,948
Rutherfordton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	201 Bob Hardin Road	Rutherfordton	28139	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 287-3778	397	24	16.4	95.2%	279 (70.3%)	34 (8.6%)	38 (9.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (11.6%)	74.7	320^th of 1490 public elementary schools	78.5%		61.3	555^th of 1505 public elementary schools	63.1%	235	87.1	80.6	63.1	61.3	77.4	60.0	54.5	$10,825	$1,582	$9,243
Spindale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	161 N Oak St	Spindale	28160	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 286-2861	337	20	16.4	95.3%	168 (49.9%)	96 (28.5%)	39 (11.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (10.1%)	32.8	1040^th of 1490 public elementary schools	30.2%		40.7	919^th of 1505 public elementary schools	38.9%	121	67.4	45.3	56.9	46.5	38.5	40.4	37.9	$10,759	$1,904	$8,854
Cliffside Elementary School	Public	K-5	4016 US Hwy 221-A	Cliffside	28024	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 288-2235	188	13	14.9	94.7%	133 (70.7%)	11 (5.9%)	32 (17.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (5.9%)	86.7	150^th of 1490 public elementary schools	89.9%		91.5	95^th of 1505 public elementary schools	93.7%	55	89.5	71.4	84.0	63.2	76.2	68.0	80.0	$11,539	$1,925	$9,614
Ellenboro Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	813 Piney Mountain Church Rd	Ellenboro	28040	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 453-8185	567	30	18.7	97.4%	437 (77.1%)	36 (6.3%)	42 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (9.2%)	85.7	163^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	89.1%		78.8	263^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	82.5%	100	87.5	75.9	79.8	67.5	70.9	62.9	78.9	$9,921	$1,677	$8,244
Mt. Vernon-Ruth Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2785 Hudlow Road	Forest City	28043	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 287-4792	231	13	17.6	98.7%	182 (78.8%)	8 (3.5%)	15 (6.5%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (10.8%)	56.7	616^th of 1490 public elementary schools	58.7%		61.9	545^th of 1505 public elementary schools	63.8%	71	78.4	46.2	67.6	37.8	53.8	51.4	83.8	$11,338	$1,542	$9,796
Polk Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2141 South NC9 Hwy	Mill Spring	28756	Polk County	Polk County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 894-8233	379	24	15.9	99.2%	299 (78.9%)	20 (5.3%)	39 (10.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.3%)	59.6	570^th of 1490 public elementary schools	61.7%		63.3	521^st of 1505 public elementary schools	65.4%	49	66.7	67.3	66.7	43.9	69.2	49.0	58.8	$12,367	$1,550	$10,818
Springmore Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	616 McBrayer Homestead Road	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8235	618	41	15.1	99.5%	445 (72.0%)	77 (12.5%)	63 (10.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (5.2%)	82.2	212^th of 1490 public elementary schools	85.8%		77.4	290^th of 1505 public elementary schools	80.7%	78	77.9	81.3	88.4	46.5	67.3	69.8	86.0	$9,568	$1,145	$8,422

Frequently Asked Questions about Harris Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Harris Elementary School?

Students at Harris Elementary School are 85% White, 9% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% African American.

How many students attend Harris Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 434 students attended Harris Elementary School.

What district is Harris Elementary School in?

Rutherford County Schools

Is Harris Elementary School a good school?

Harris Elementary School ranks 242^nd of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Harris Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Harris Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Chase Middle School
High : Chase High School
High : Rutherford Early College High School

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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.