Summary:
ZIP code 27856 (Nashville, NC) is served by exactly two public schools—Nashville Elementary (kindergarten through 5th grade) and Nash Central Middle (6th through 8th grade)—both part of Nash County Public Schools, a district rated 2 stars and ranked 158th out of 246 in North Carolina.
Both schools earn 3-star ratings and rank well above their district's 36th-percentile position, despite serving student populations where more than 99% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Nashville Elementary is a standout in math and science, beating the state average by 9 to 12 points in math at every grade level and posting a 75.3% proficiency rate in 5th-grade science. Its third-grade reading improved dramatically to 55.6%, but 4th- and 5th-grade reading remain slightly below the state average—making reading the relative weak point. Nash Central Middle, meanwhile, improved in every tested subject and grade from the previous year. Its most striking gains came in reading: 6th-grade reading jumped from 48.0% to 62.8% and 7th-grade reading from 45.5% to 60.8%, putting both grades above the state average. However, 7th- and 8th-grade math remain below the state average, in contrast to the elementary school's math strength.
Chronic absenteeism affects roughly one in five students at Nashville Elementary (20.9%) and one in four at Nash Central Middle (23.2%), though both are better than the district average of 25.9%. Per-pupil spending is similar for both schools—about $8,700 to $9,000—though the data is from 2018–2019 and does not reflect current budgets. Because there is no high school in the ZIP code, students continuing past 8th grade will need to attend a school elsewhere in Nash County. Overall, these two schools are improving, outperform their district by wide margins, and offer a solid educational foundation in an area with high poverty and limited school choice within the immediate ZIP code.
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