Boonville Elementary

Boonville Elementary in Boonville, NC, is a small alternative school serving about 365 students within Yadkin County Schools; although it reports a PK–12 grade span, its test results cover grades 3–5, giving parents a clear view of elementary performance. Nearly all students — 97% — qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, making it one of the most economically disadvantaged schools in the region, and the district itself ranks at the 42nd percentile statewide with a two-star rating.

Academically, math stands out as the school’s relative strength. Third-grade math proficiency reached 76.1% in 2023–24, well above the district’s 61.7%, and 5th grade math hit 72.1% in 2025–26, beating the state average. Reading is a much bigger concern, with proficiency often below district and state levels; for example, only 38.9% of 4th graders were proficient in reading in 2025–26 compared with 57.7% statewide. Fifth-grade science is also a persistent weakness, trailing state results every year. Scores swing considerably from one grade level to the next, indicating that particular class cohorts heavily influence outcomes.

Chronic absenteeism has improved from a very high 32% in 2022–23 to about 22% in 2024–25, which is actually below the state average of 24.2%. The student-teacher ratio has also risen from roughly 13:1 to 16.4:1 over two years, a sign of tightening resources. Compared with Surry Online Magnet School, a virtual alternative school about 11.5 miles away in Surry County Schools, Boonville serves nearly twice the share of low-income students and reports higher chronic absenteeism; however, the two schools operate very differently, with Boonville using a traditional in-person model while Surry Online’s 60.5:1 ratio reflects its virtual structure.