Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28080

ZIP code 28080 in Iron Station, NC is served by two public schools—East Lincoln Middle and Iron Station Elementary—both part of Lincoln County Schools, a district ranked in the top third of North Carolina districts. There are no high schools in this ZIP code, so families must look outside the immediate area for grades 9–12.

The two schools serve very different student populations. East Lincoln Middle is the stronger all-around school, earning 4 stars and ranking in the 72nd percentile of middle schools statewide. It has remained consistently in the 71st–77th percentile over three years. Its math and science scores are well above both district and state averages, with 8th grade science proficiency at 79.1% compared to 68.6% statewide. The school also improved its reading and science scores this past year. In contrast, Iron Station Elementary is a high-poverty school where nearly 99% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Despite that challenge, it posts above-average math and science scores, including 5th grade science proficiency of 77.8% versus 67.7% statewide. However, its ranking dropped sharply from the 81st percentile to the 62nd percentile this year, and it now earns 3 stars.

The biggest concern across both schools is early reading proficiency. Iron Station Elementary has a particularly troubling 3rd grade reading rate of just 40.3%, about 18 points below the state average, while its 3rd grade math rate is 71%. This gap suggests that while students can handle numbers, literacy is a serious risk factor. East Lincoln Middle also shows reading as its weakest subject, especially in 7th grade. On a positive note, Iron Station Elementary receives more funding per student ($10,349 versus $7,305) and has smaller class sizes (12.6 vs. 16.2 students per teacher), likely due to need-based aid. Both schools remain above district and state averages in most subjects, but the divergence in direction—East Lincoln improving while Iron Station declined—should be monitored, especially since Iron Station feeds into East Lincoln.