Schools in Zip Code 27103

ZIP code 27103 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is home to four schools in the Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools district — two elementary schools serving PK–5 (Moore Magnet Elementary and Bolton Elementary) and two high schools (Early College of Forsyth County for grades 9–12 and Middle College of Forsyth County for grades 11–12) — with a combined enrollment of 1,257 students. The district ranks 159th of 246 in the state, and the ZIP code spans a dramatic range: very high-poverty elementary schools with low statewide rankings sit alongside an elite early-college high school and one small high school with sparse data.

Early College of Forsyth County is the clear academic standout, ranking 73rd of 662 high schools statewide (89th percentile, 4 stars) and improving its ranking for three straight years. Its End-of-Course pass rates are remarkable — Biology at 98.5%, English II at 97.4%, and Math III at 88.9% — outperforming the state by 20 to 40 points on each of these exams, and only one-third of its students are economically disadvantaged. The elementary schools look much harder. Moore Magnet Elementary, where 99% of students are economically disadvantaged, posts 3rd-grade reading proficiency of 63.5% — above the state average — and chronic absenteeism of 21.1%, better than the state's 24.2%. Bolton Elementary, with nearly identical poverty, struggles more: 5th-grade reading is 27.9%, roughly half the state rate, and chronic absenteeism hits 35.1%.

Middle College of Forsyth County stands out for the wrong reasons, posting the ZIP code's highest chronic absenteeism (53.7%) while reporting just one End-of-Course subject — Math III — on which it trails both district and state averages. Both elementary schools have slipped into the bottom quarter of the state, with Moore Magnet Elementary in the 21st percentile and Bolton Elementary in the 22nd. Spending does not predict performance: Bolton Elementary spends the most at $12,762 per student, while the top-ranked Early College of Forsyth County spends the least at $6,298. The takeaway for parents is that ZIP code 27103 offers exceptional opportunity at the early-college high school but serious challenges at the elementary level, so school choice depends heavily on grade level.