Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28613

Zip code 28613 in Conover, NC includes five public schools — three elementary schools, one middle school, and one alternative special-education school — with no traditional high school and roughly 2,237 students, split between Catawba County Schools and Newton-Conover City Schools. Every school serves a very high-poverty population, with free/reduced-price lunch rates above 96%, yet outcomes differ sharply. Students here move on to high schools outside the zip code after 8th grade.

Shuford Elementary is the clear academic standout: the only 4-star school in the area, ranked in the 79th percentile statewide, and at or above state averages in every reported 2025-2026 EOG subject — including 85.5% proficient in 5th grade math versus 62.9% statewide — despite 96.27% of students qualifying for free/reduced-price lunch. In contrast, Saint Stephens Elementary, the largest school with 711 students, is the area's biggest challenge. Ranking in the 16th percentile (1 star), it trails state averages by roughly 20–30 points in most subjects. Lyle Creek Elementary has the best attendance (11.0%) and strong 3rd grade scores, but upper-elementary math drops from 74.6% proficient in 3rd grade to about 45–49% in 4th and 5th grade. Newton-Conover Middle beats state averages in middle-school math across all grades but is weaker in reading, with only 45.2% of 6th graders proficient versus 54.8% statewide.

Conover Special Education is a unique PK-12 program serving a high-need population: it spends $45,633 per student, has an 8.8-to-1 student-teacher ratio, and is not comparable on test scores, but its 45.2% chronic absenteeism rate is a serious concern. Absenteeism at the traditional schools ranges from a strong 11.0% at Shuford Elementary and Lyle Creek Elementary to 18.0% at Saint Stephens Elementary and 21.7% at Newton-Conover Middle. Rankings over three years show Shuford Elementary improving from the 68th to the 79th percentile, Lyle Creek Elementary improving modestly, Saint Stephens Elementary stuck in the bottom 12–16%, and Newton-Conover Middle slipping slightly — clear evidence that school-level performance varies widely even among schools serving similar high-poverty communities.