Washington County Elementary School

Washington County Elementary School serves about 502 students in grades PK-5 in Plymouth, NC, as part of Washington County Schools. The school serves a very high-poverty community, with roughly 99.4% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, but it has struggled academically compared to schools across North Carolina. Its statewide rank has hovered near or below the 13th percentile for most of the past decade, with the most recent 2025-26 results placing it in the 10th percentile statewide.

The biggest concern for parents to know is chronic absenteeism. In 2024-25, 41.8% of students were chronically absent—well above the state average of 24.2% and far higher than nearby Windsor Elementary at 26.9%, Jamesville Elementary at 27.3%, and Pocosin Innovative Charter at 14.3%. Test scores also trail both the state and neighboring schools. For example, only 44.4% of 3rd graders were proficient in math and reading, compared to state averages of 66.4% and 55.6%. Nearby schools posted much stronger results, including 80% proficiency in 3rd grade math at Pocosin Innovative Charter and 68% at Windsor Elementary. These gaps are especially notable because Windsor and Jamesville serve student bodies with nearly identical poverty levels (99% free/reduced-price lunch eligibility). The student-teacher ratio at Washington County Elementary (14.2) is actually better than some neighbors, so the differences come down to issues like attendance and academic continuity.

There are some encouraging signs. In 2023-24, the school reached its best ranking in a decade and posted strong results in 3rd grade math—75.5% proficiency in 2023-24 and 71.4% the year before—along with 5th grade science scores that nearly matched the state average. However, those gains have not lasted. Math proficiency has consistently dropped between 3rd and 4th grade, and reading remains a persistent weakness, with only 21.2% of 3rd graders proficient in reading in 2024-25. For parents, the clearest priorities at Washington County Elementary School are improving attendance, building early reading skills, and helping students sustain math gains as they move into upper elementary grades.