Summary:
Zip code 28024 in Cliffside, North Carolina, is served by just one public school: Cliffside Elementary School, a K–5 elementary school with 188 students in Rutherford County Schools, making it the sole educational option for families in this small, rural community.
Because Cliffside Elementary is the only school in the zip code, all attention focuses on its remarkable performance. Despite nearly 95% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, the school consistently ranks among the top schools in North Carolina, landing in the 94th percentile statewide in two of the last three years and the 90th percentile in the other. It has earned 5 stars twice and 4 stars once during that span. Academically, the school outperformed both its district and the state in all 14 subject-and-grade comparisons across the two most recent school years. Its 3rd grade reading proficiency surged to 91.2%, a striking 35.6 percentage points above the state average and 24.6 points above the district. Similar strength appears across 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade math, reading, and 5th grade science, with gains in early literacy and other subjects showing the school is improving even from its already high baseline.
That said, there is one major concern: chronic absenteeism. Cliffside Elementary's rate sits at 42.1%, nearly double the state's 24.2% and higher than Rutherford County's 38.1%. Even with outstanding test scores, more than two in five students are missing enough school to be considered chronically absent, which could pose a risk to future achievement. The district itself is solid, rated 4 stars and ranked 71st out of 246 districts, but Cliffside clearly outpaces that average. For parents considering this area, the school offers elite academics in a high-need setting, but attendance patterns and limited school choice within the zip code are important factors to weigh.
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