Summary:
ZIP code 27403 contains three public schools in Guilford County Schools — Clara J Peck Elementary, John Van Lindley Elementary, and Jackson Middle — together serving roughly 1,617 students in elementary and middle grades, with no public high school in the ZIP code, so students must leave the area after 8th grade.
The key to this area is a stark contrast between schools that look identical on paper: more than 99% of students in every building qualify for free/reduced-price lunch, yet outcomes differ dramatically. John Van Lindley Elementary is the clear standout, holding 3 stars and ranking in the 66th percentile statewide, meeting or beating state proficiency in most subjects despite its 99.42% poverty rate. Clara J Peck Elementary has fallen for three straight years to the 6th percentile with 0 stars, and it now trails the district and state in every tested grade and subject. Jackson Middle ranks in the 7th percentile, where 8th-grade math proficiency sits at just 11.7% versus 53.0% statewide.
The clearest warning sign is attendance: chronic absenteeism is 24.8% at John Van Lindley Elementary, 38.1% at Clara J Peck Elementary, and 44.7% at Jackson Middle — meaning nearly half of Jackson Middle's students miss 10% or more of the school year. Spending does not explain the results: Clara J Peck Elementary spends the most at $14,425 per student yet sits far behind John Van Lindley Elementary, which spends just $10,039. For parents, John Van Lindley Elementary proves that high-poverty schools can succeed, while Clara J Peck Elementary's steep recent decline and Jackson Middle's attendance crisis deserve serious attention. With no high school inside the ZIP code, families should also plan for a transition after 8th grade.
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