Summary:
ZIP code 28743 contains exactly one school, Hot Springs Elementary, a small K-5 school with 128 students in the Hot Springs area of Madison County. This elementary school is part of Madison County Schools, a 4-star district ranking in the 72nd percentile statewide in North Carolina. The school boasts a favorable 10.6-to-1 student-teacher ratio, but nearly all students (97.66%) qualify for free/reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic disadvantage in the community.
Despite the high poverty rate, Hot Springs Elementary has proven it can deliver standout results. In 2025-2026, its 4th grade class posted impressive scores: 87% proficiency in math and 73.9% in reading, both well above district and state averages. The prior year's 5th grade cohort was equally exceptional, outperforming the district and state by double digits in math, reading, and science. However, the school's overall statewide ranking has slipped from the 83rd percentile in 2023-2024 to the 59th percentile in 2025-2026, and the current 5th grade is a weak spot, underperforming in all subjects. With only about 20–30 students per grade, results can swing dramatically between cohorts—5th grade math fell from 85.7% to 55.6%, while 4th grade math soared from 55% to 87%.
Chronic absenteeism is a concern, with 26.1% of students missing significant school time, slightly above the state's 24.2% rate. Since this ZIP code has no middle or high schools, families must leave the area for those grades, which can create transition challenges. While the district's strong 4-star rating doesn't fully align with this school's current mid-tier standing, the evidence shows that when attendance and instruction align, Hot Springs Elementary students can achieve at or above state averages even in a high-poverty, small-school setting.
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