Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 28306

The seven elementary schools in zip code 28306 serve grades PK-5 and are part of Cumberland County Schools in the Fayetteville, NC area. All of these schools serve highly economically disadvantaged communities, with free/reduced lunch rates averaging near 98%, yet they produce dramatically different academic outcomes. E Melvin Honeycutt Elementary is the clear top performer, ranking in the 82nd percentile statewide with 4 stars, while Stoney Point Elementary is close behind, ranking in the 74th percentile with 4 stars. Both schools exceed district and state averages despite their high poverty rates, with Honeycutt’s 83.4% fifth-grade science proficiency standing out. At the other end, Cumberland Mills Elementary ranks in the 20th percentile with 1 star, and Elizabeth M Cashwell Elementary ranks in the 24th percentile.

Chronic absenteeism is a key differentiator. Stoney Point has the lowest rate in the group at 17.4%, and Honeycutt’s is also relatively low at 19.8%, while Cumberland Mills (36.6%) and Cumberland Road Elementary (34.7%) struggle the most. Interestingly, New Century International Elementary has a low absenteeism rate of 19.0% but has fallen sharply in statewide rankings over two years, dropping from the 65th percentile to the 32nd percentile, suggesting other factors are at play. Spending and class sizes do not clearly explain results: Cumberland Road spends the most per student ($11,146) and has the smallest classes (12.9 students per teacher), yet ranks below the middle of the state. Stoney Point spends the least ($8,134) and performs far better.

Despite its low rank, Cumberland Mills is showing signs of improvement, with fifth-grade math jumping from 26.8% to 53.2% proficiency in one year, and science rising from 42.3% to 55.7%. Cashwell also improved in several subjects. The zip code as a whole trails the state average in math, but is closest in fifth-grade science, and the internal gap is wide: Honeycutt’s average proficiency is about 25 points higher than Cumberland Mills’ average. For parents, this means school choice within 28306 matters greatly, even though the schools share similar demographics and belong to the same district.