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Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 28376

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At a glance

Schools

3,262

Students

Top rankedDon D Steed Elementary577^th of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools

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Biggest riser

West Hoke Elementary up 346 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Don D Steed Elementary 11.6 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

3★

2★

1★

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Summary:

Zip code 28376 in Hoke County, North Carolina is home to six elementary schools—all in the Raeford area, all serving grades PK/K through 5, and all part of Hoke County Schools.

Combined enrollment is 3,262 students, ranging from 304 at J.W. McLauchlin Elementary to 646 at Upchurch Elementary. These schools serve a nearly identical population: between 99% and 99.5% of students at each school qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Academically, proficiency rates closely track the Hoke County Schools district average but trail North Carolina state averages in nearly every subject. The largest shortfalls come in upper-elementary math, with 4th-grade math about 12.8 points below the state and 5th-grade math 11.9 points below.

Don D Steed Elementary is the clear standout, ranking in the 61st percentile statewide with 3 stars and leading the group with an average EOG proficiency near 63.9%. It is especially strong in reading, where it beats state averages in every grade tested, and it has the lowest student-teacher ratio among the six schools. West Hoke Elementary is the most improved school, jumping from the 18th to the 41st percentile in one year, though it also has the highest chronic absenteeism rate at 32.5%. J.W. McLauchlin Elementary provides an unexpected bright spot in 5th-grade math with 68.9% proficiency, yet its reading results are the weakest in the group.

Rockfish Hoke Elementary and Scurlock Elementary show concerning downward trends, with state percentiles falling over three consecutive years. Spending per student does not explain outcomes: J.W. McLauchlin spends the most at $12,042 per student yet ranks among the lowest performers, while Don D Steed posts the best results with lower spending. The biggest area for improvement across the cluster is literacy, with reading proficiency well below state averages at most schools. Science is a hidden strength—four of the six schools exceed the state's 67.7% proficiency rate in 5th-grade science, including Upchurch Elementary at 76.6%.

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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
Rockfish Hoke Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6251 Rockfish Rd	Raeford	28376	Hoke County	Hoke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 875-9343	606	39	15.7	99.5%	206 (34.0%)	148 (24.4%)	151 (24.9%)	19 (3.1%)	8 (1.3%)	7 (1.2%)	67 (11.1%)	32.3	1051^st of 1492 public elementary schools	29.6%		45.3	824^th of 1490 public elementary schools	44.7%	227	62.1	37.6	46.5	38.9	44.0	52.3	70.6	$7,820	$1,036	$6,784
Upchurch Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	730 Turnpike Road	Raeford	28376	Hoke County	Hoke County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 875-1574	646	40	16.0	99.1%	89 (13.8%)	277 (42.9%)	188 (29.1%)	5 (0.8%)	11 (1.7%)	3 (0.5%)	73 (11.3%)	38.1	941^st of 1492 public elementary schools	36.9%		45.5	823^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	44.8%	118	62.5	50.0	53.2	45.5	47.9	42.9	76.6	$9,060	$1,408	$7,652
J W McLauchlin Elementary	Public	K-5	326 N Main St	Raeford	28376	Hoke County	Hoke County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 875-8721	304	25	12.1	99.0%	71 (23.4%)	115 (37.8%)	72 (23.7%)	3 (1.0%)	13 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (9.9%)	25.1	1187^th of 1492 public elementary schools	20.4%		30.7	1077^th of 1490 public elementary schools	27.7%	110	54.9	38.6	68.9	37.3	36.4	33.3	57.8	$12,042	$1,365	$10,677
Scurlock Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	775 Rockfish Rd	Raeford	28376	Hoke County	Hoke County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 875-4182	611	40	15.3	99.5%	86 (14.1%)	224 (36.7%)	222 (36.3%)	3 (0.5%)	6 (1.0%)	6 (1.0%)	64 (10.5%)	24	1207^th of 1492 public elementary schools	19.1%		33.4	1030^th of 1490 public elementary schools	30.9%	177	63.9	44.0	33.3	47.2	47.7	39.6	46.4	$8,635	$1,313	$7,322
West Hoke Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6050 Turnpike Road	Raeford	28376	Hoke County	Hoke County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 875-2584	467	34	13.7	99.4%	97 (20.8%)	184 (39.4%)	105 (22.5%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (5.1%)	4 (0.9%)	52 (11.1%)	42.3	873^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	41.5%		23	1219^th of 1490 public elementary schools	18.2%	346	56.0	60.9	54.4	45.3	55.1	51.9	67.1	$10,270	$1,466	$8,804
Don D Steed Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	800 Phillipi Church Rd	Raeford	28376	Hoke County	Hoke County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 875-1125	628	54	11.6	99.5%	173 (27.5%)	173 (27.5%)	201 (32.0%)	1 (0.2%)	13 (2.1%)	3 (0.5%)	64 (10.2%)	60	577^th of 1492 public elementary schools	61.3%		68.3	421^st of 1490 public elementary schools	71.7%	156	64.5	60.4	49.4	64.5	61.3	75.3	71.6	$9,923	$1,349	$8,574

Cities Near Zip Code 28376

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Raeford	0.63 mi	11	327^th
Red Springs	5.94 mi	4	467^th
Lumber Bridge	7.11 mi	2	330^th
Fayetteville	8.54 mi	69	312^th
Wagram	11.57 mi	1	462^nd

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.