Summary:
Schools in zip code 28338 consist of two public schools—Mineral Springs Elementary and Ellerbe Middle—both in Ellerbe, NC, and both part of Richmond County Schools, serving pre-kindergarten through 8th grade with no high school in the immediate area. Although these schools have very high economic need (over 98% free-and-reduced lunch), their chronic absenteeism rates are lower than the district and state averages, and there are pockets of real academic strength to consider.
Looking side by side, Ellerbe Middle is the stronger and more stable school overall, holding a 2-star rating and a 44th-percentile state rank for middle schools. Its 8th-grade science proficiency is outstanding at 75%, above the state average of 68.6%, and its 8th-grade math also exceeds the state average. Ellerbe Middle also showed substantial growth from the previous year, especially in 6th-grade reading, which jumped from 30% to 50% proficiency, though 7th-grade reading remains a weak spot. In contrast, Mineral Springs Elementary has bright spots in 4th-grade math (70.8% proficient, well above the state’s 61.4%), but its state ranking has fallen sharply from the 52nd percentile to the 25th percentile in two years, dropping from 3 stars to 1 star. Reading is a major concern at Mineral Springs, with every grade-level reading score below state averages and 3rd-grade reading proficiency at just 34.3%.
For parents, the takeaway is that Ellerbe Middle offers more consistent middle-grades results and the best science and math outcomes in the ZIP code, while Mineral Springs Elementary excels in early math but needs significant support in early literacy. The broader Richmond County Schools district ranks in the bottom quarter of North Carolina districts, so these individual successes are notable relative to that context. Since there is no high school in zip code 28338, families should also plan for the transition to schools outside the area after 8th grade, which may affect continuity during the high school years.
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