Is Hortons Creek Elementary a good school?

Yes! Hortons Creek Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 14 th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools.

How many students attend Hortons Creek Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 694 students attended Hortons Creek Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Hortons Creek Elementary?

Students at Hortons Creek Elementary are 48% Asian, 32% White, 11% African American, 6% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

Hortons Creek Elementary

Summary:

Hortons Creek Elementary is a highly-ranked public elementary school in Cary, North Carolina, serving students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. With consistently strong academic performance, a diverse student population, and exceptional results across various subgroups, Hortons Creek stands out as one of the top elementary schools in the state.

Hortons Creek Elementary consistently ranks among the top 14 elementary schools in North Carolina, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's students significantly outperform state and Wake County Schools district averages in standardized test scores, with 93% of 3rd-grade students, 85.1% of 4th-grade students, and 94.4% of 5th-grade students proficient or better in mathematics, compared to 62.7%, 56.6%, and 58.1% at the state level, respectively. Hortons Creek's diverse student body includes a significant Asian population (47.22%) and a mix of White (31.39%), African American (11.53%), and Hispanic (6.94%) students.

While Hortons Creek Elementary's overall performance is exceptional, the school's ranking for gifted and talented students has been more variable, suggesting a need to focus on providing additional support and resources for its high-achieving students. Nonetheless, Hortons Creek's academic achievements are consistently higher than nearby schools in the Wake County Schools district, such as Green Hope Elementary, Cedar Fork Elementary, and Parkside Elementary. Additionally, the nearby Sterling Montessori Academy, a public charter school, also performs well academically, but Hortons Creek's overall statewide ranking is higher, indicating a more well-rounded educational experience for its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

7615 O'Kelly Chapel Rd
Cary, NC 27519

(919) 694-8660

District: Wake County Schools

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,977

Student/teacher ratio: 14.9

Number of students: 694

Racial breakdown:

Asian:

48.0%

White:

31.6%

African American:

11.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 11.2%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Hortons Creek Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Hortons Creek Elementary ranks better than 99.1% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 3^rd among 115 ranked elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 97.34. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Asian (48%), White (31.6%), African American (11.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 11.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Hortons Creek Elementary is 14.9. 113 elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Hortons Creek Elementary employs 46.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hortons Creek Elementary is $7,977, which is the lowest among 116 elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District! (See more...)

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Hortons Creek Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Hortons Creek Elementary 14^th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Hortons Creek Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

Asian students:

African American students:

White students:

Wake County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Wake County Schools 59^th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Hortons Creek Elementary?

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Rank History for Hortons Creek Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	86.03	154^th	1473	89.5%
2021	92.06	93^rd	1489	93.8%
2022	96.08	29^th	1514	98.1%
2023	94.20	57^th	1502	96.2%
2024	97.34	14^th	1505	99.1%

See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	80.69	15^th	103	85.4%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	95.20	13^th	497	97.4%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	67.97	343^rd	1332	74.2%
2019	50.08	674^th	1361	50.5%
2023	59.73	498^th	1437	65.3%
2024	85.45	93^rd	1450	93.6%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	88.69	96^th	1405	93.2%
2019	87.50	106^th	1424	92.6%
2021	91.56	84^th	1440	94.2%
2022	95.56	27^th	1458	98.1%
2023	94.68	28^th	1459	98.1%
2024	96.77	12^th	1455	99.2%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	74.91	115^th	878	86.9%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	65.32	192^nd	612	68.6%
2021	48.59	346^th	494	30.0%
2022	67.81	130^th	500	74.0%
2023	58.63	310^th	582	46.7%
2024	67.52	158^th	669	76.4%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	88.48	113^th	1413	92.0%
2019	81.79	195^th	1430	86.4%
2021	90.31	101^st	1444	93.0%
2022	95.03	41^st	1464	97.2%
2023	91.74	79^th	1461	94.6%
2024	96.80	14^th	1464	99.0%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	77.04	20^th	99	79.8%
2019	66.79	44^th	106	58.5%
2021	64.29	48^th	95	49.5%
2022	75.14	25^th	107	76.6%
2023	75.99	27^th	114	76.3%
2024	79.31	14^th	130	89.2%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	81.46	90^th	927	90.3%
2019	52.52	405^th	949	57.3%
2021	82.96	87^th	896	90.3%
2022	80.73	95^th	927	89.8%
2023	66.23	243^rd	933	74.0%
2024	84.29	76^th	924	91.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	93.96	17^th	851	98.0%
2019	93.20	23^rd	865	97.3%
2022	95.17	21^st	893	97.6%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	78.29	214^th	1178	81.8%
2019	81.26	167^th	1183	85.9%
2021	68.58	329^th	1172	71.9%
2022	92.19	34^th	1194	97.2%
2023	85.82	112^th	1183	90.5%
2024	89.59	64^th	1166	94.5%

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.

Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Hortons Creek Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2018	328	143	290	57	3	4	50	875
2019	361	168	344	70	5	3	51	1002
2020	334	118	374	70	3	1	33	933
2021	301	99	387	51	3	2	30	873
2022	266	88	369	54	2	2	29	810
2023	226	83	340	50	2	1	18	720
2024	219	78	333	45	3	0	16	694

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 Hortons Creek Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	875	52.0	16.8	11.5
2019	1002	58.8	17.0	13.9
2020	933	59.5	15.6	9
2021	873	57.1	15.2	7.6
2022	810	57.6	14.0	4.9
2023	720	47.0	15.3	11.7
2024	694	46.4	14.9	11.2

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 Hortons Creek Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	875	52.0	16.8	11.5
2019	1002	58.8	17.0	13.9
2020	933	59.5	15.6	9
2021	873	57.1	15.2	7.6
2022	810	57.6	14.0	4.9
2023	720	47.0	15.3	11.7
2024	694	46.4	14.9	11.2

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 Hortons Creek Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$280 (3.5%)	$7,697 (96.5%)	$7,977

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hortons Creek 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 154^th of 1473 Elementary schools	Ranks 57^th of 1502 Elementary schools	6.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Hortons Creek Elementary)	78.9	89.4	10.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)	69.4	67.4	2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)	64.3	61.1	3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Hortons Creek Elementary)	76.6	81.4	4.8%
3rd Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)	66	58.7	7.3%
3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)	56.8	48	8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Hortons Creek Elementary)	79.8	91.5	11.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)	65	65
4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)	57.3	55.3	2%
4th Grade Reading (Hortons Creek Elementary)	79.8	87.7	7.9%
4th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)	63.2	65.7	2.5%
4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)	57.3	55.3	2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Hortons Creek Elementary)	81.2	83.3	2.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)	66	65.6	0.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)	60.2	55.9	4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Hortons Creek Elementary)	71.1	78	6.9%
5th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)	60.6	59.1	1.5%
5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)	54.6	48	6.6%
5th Grade Science (Hortons Creek Elementary)	81.2	81.8	0.6%
5th Grade Science (Wake County Schools)	71.3	70.6	0.7%
5th Grade Science (North Carolina)	72.6	65.3	7.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1002	720	28.1%
African American	168	83	50.6%
American Indian	5	2	60%
Asian	344	340	1.2%
Hispanic	70	50	28.6%
Pacific Islander	3	1	66.7%
White	361	226	37.4%
Two or More Races	51	18	64.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	13.9%	11.7%	2.2%

Schools Near Hortons Creek Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				EOG Mathematics (2024)			EOG Reading (2024)			EOG Science (2024)	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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	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
Hortons Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	7615 O'Kelly Chapel Rd	Cary	27519	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 694-8660	694	46	14.9	11.2%	219 (31.6%)	78 (11.2%)	45 (6.5%)	333 (48.0%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.3%)	97.3	14^th of 1505 public elementary schools	99.1%		94.2	57^th of 1502 public elementary schools	96.2%	43	93.0	85.1	94.4	85.2	88.8	92.5	94.4	$7,977	$280	$7,697
Alston Ridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	11555 Green Level Church Rd.	Cary	27519	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 544-2474	1,111	73	15.2	13.6%	192 (17.3%)	131 (11.8%)	83 (7.5%)	653 (58.8%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	47 (4.2%)	91.8	88^th of 1505 public elementary schools	94.2%		93.3	68^th of 1502 public elementary schools	95.5%	20	87.4	78.0	82.9	70.9	75.9	75.4	86.4	$8,773	$530	$8,243
Mills Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	509 Mills Park Dr	Cary	27519	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 466-1466	645	47	13.7	13.5%	214 (33.2%)	22 (3.4%)	78 (12.1%)	320 (49.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.7%)	95.8	41^st of 1505 public elementary schools	97.3%		96.1	24^th of 1502 public elementary schools	98.4%	17	85.1	90.2	90.6	74.4	89.3	87.8	90.6	$8,738	$372	$8,366
Lyons Farm Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	906 Scott King Rd	Durham	27713	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(919) 560-3749	523	40	13.1	26.4%	253 (48.4%)	141 (27.0%)	48 (9.2%)	33 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (9.2%)	79.1	257^th of 1505 public elementary schools	82.9%		78.8	256^th of 1502 public elementary schools	83.0%	1	70.1	75.0	77.0	54.5	65.3	60.7	90.2
Parkside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	332 Parkside Valley Dr	Morrisville	27560	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 694-7888	865	60	14.4	19.4%	181 (20.9%)	108 (12.5%)	72 (8.3%)	451 (52.1%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	49 (5.7%)	92.7	75^th of 1505 public elementary schools	95.0%		91.8	91^st of 1502 public elementary schools	93.9%	16	87.4	82.1	81.2	73.2	78.4	79.7	84.2
Carpenter Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2100 Morrisville Parkway	Cary	27519	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 462-6780	680	47	14.6	31.8%	171 (25.1%)	80 (11.8%)	152 (22.4%)	249 (36.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.8%)	83.2	203^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	86.5%		83.2	192^nd of 1502 public elementary schools	87.2%	11	74.0	75.4	75.4	62.9	71.9	72.4	73.9	$9,401	$613	$8,788
Highcroft Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5415 Highcroft Drive	Cary	27519	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 460-3527	699	48	14.5	7.9%	202 (28.9%)	52 (7.4%)	45 (6.4%)	357 (51.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (6.0%)	97.7	10^th of 1505 public elementary schools	99.3%		98.1	3^rd of 1502 public elementary schools	99.8%	7	99.1	95.6	93.2	85.6	94.2	82.7	91.0	$8,277	$370	$7,907
Parkwood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5207 Revere Road	Durham	27713	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 560-3962	576	45	12.6	99.5%	83 (14.4%)	309 (53.6%)	118 (20.5%)	10 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (9.7%)	14.9	1363^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	9.4%		24.6	1179^th of 1502 public elementary schools	21.5%	184	45.1	37.1	23.0	34.1	37.1	28.0	43.3	$11,377	$1,372	$10,005
Green Hope Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2700 Louis Stephens Drive	Cary	27519	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 388-5270	603	42	14.3	12.8%	186 (30.8%)	47 (7.8%)	42 (7.0%)	304 (50.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (3.8%)	96.7	27^th of 1505 public elementary schools	98.2%		97	12^th of 1502 public elementary schools	99.2%	15	89.7	91.2	94.2	75.5	81.4	84.9	95.0	$8,968	$486	$8,482
Cedar Fork Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1050 Town Hall Drive	Morrisville	27560	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 388-5240	798	56	14.2	17.4%	124 (15.5%)	78 (9.8%)	47 (5.9%)	522 (65.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.3%)	91.7	90^th of 1505 public elementary schools	94.0%		93.2	75^th of 1502 public elementary schools	95.0%	15	77.4	81.5	89.1	69.9	73.4	79.7	92.2	$8,320	$370	$7,950

Hortons Creek Elementary

Hortons Creek Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Wake County Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Hortons Creek Elementary

Rank History for all students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Rank History for Disabled students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Rank History for Asian students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Rank History for African American students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Rank History for Hispanic students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Rank History for White students at Hortons Creek Elementary

Enrollment information for Hortons Creek Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Hortons Creek Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Hortons Creek Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Hortons Creek Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Hortons Creek Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Hortons Creek Elementary

Frequently Asked Questions about Hortons Creek Elementary

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