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Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 28037

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At a glance

Schools

1,835

Students

5-star school

Top rankedRock Springs Elementary118^th of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools

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Summary:

ZIP code 28037, serving the Denver, NC area, is home to three public elementary schools — St James Elementary, Rock Springs Elementary, and Catawba Springs Elementary — that together educate about 1,835 students in grades PK–5 within Lincoln County Schools, a 4-star district ranked 75th of 246 in North Carolina. All three schools beat state averages in every reported subject and grade.

Rock Springs Elementary is the clear standout, holding a 5-star rating and ranking 118th out of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools (92nd percentile). It leads the trio with top proficiency averages in math (84.6%), reading (73.2%), and science (90.6%), and it serves the lowest share of free/reduced lunch students at 21.4%. Catawba Springs Elementary also stands out, ranking 233rd (84th percentile) while serving the highest share of economically disadvantaged students (34.4%), yet still posting strong math (77.0%) and reading (70.1%) scores. St James Elementary, the largest school with 653 students, ranks 435th (71st percentile) and performs solidly in math and science, but its reading proficiency of 60.9% trails Rock Springs Elementary by more than 12 points.

Several patterns stand out. Chronic absenteeism is remarkably low — between 9.4% and 11.3% — well below the district average of 17.2% and the state average of 24.2%. Math proficiency outpaces reading at every school by roughly 7 to 11 points, while science is a group-wide strength led by Rock Springs Elementary at 90.6%. Spending per student is similar, ranging from $7,459 at St James Elementary to $7,867 at Catawba Springs Elementary, and St James Elementary has the best student-teacher ratio at 15.2:1. Two years ago, Rock Springs Elementary and Catawba Springs Elementary were both ranked in the top 120 schools statewide; Rock Springs Elementary has held that level while Catawba Springs Elementary and St James Elementary have slipped. Overall, Rock Springs Elementary is the strongest academic choice, Catawba Springs Elementary is a strong school with notable math performance, and St James Elementary is a solid option where reading improvement would make the biggest difference.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				EOG Mathematics (2026)			EOG Reading (2026)			EOG Science (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Rock Springs Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3633 Hwy 16 N	Denver	28037	Lincoln County	Lincoln County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 483-2281	639	40	16.1	21.4%	520 (81.4%)	28 (4.4%)	49 (7.7%)	8 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (5.2%)	89.8	118^th of 1492 public elementary schools	92.1%		91.1	96^th of 1490 public elementary schools	93.6%	22	87.5	80.9	85.5	77.5	70.2	71.8	90.6	$7,824	$403	$7,420
Catawba Springs Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	206 North Little Egypt Rd	Denver	28037	Lincoln County	Lincoln County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 736-1895	543	33	16.3	34.4%	371 (68.3%)	43 (7.9%)	59 (10.9%)	16 (2.9%)	7 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	46 (8.5%)	80.8	233^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	84.4%		84.1	189^th of 1490 public elementary schools	87.3%	44	84.4	74.5	72.2	67.8	73.4	69.1	76.3	$7,867	$484	$7,383
St James Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1774 St James Church Road	Denver	28037	Lincoln County	Lincoln County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 736-1958	653	43	15.2	27.0%	520 (79.6%)	23 (3.5%)	62 (9.5%)	8 (1.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.8%)	69	435^th of 1492 public elementary schools	70.8%		79	264^th of 1490 public elementary schools	82.3%	171	71.3	70.1	68.7	60.2	61.5	60.9	80.0	$7,459	$375	$7,084

Cities Near Zip Code 28037

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Denver	1.33 mi	7	63^rd
Iron Station	4.94 mi	2	79^th
Lincolnton	6.01 mi	14	255^th
Mooresville	6.72 mi	20	78^th
Sherrills Ford	7.87 mi	1	57^th

See the top NC North Carolina cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.