Schools in Zip Code 28748

Zip code 28748 is served by a single school, Leicester Elementary, a PK-4 elementary school in the Buncombe County Schools district with 399 students and no middle or high schools located within the zip code itself. For families in this Leicester, NC area, this school is the sole elementary option, and it has become a standout for its remarkable recent academic trajectory.

The most encouraging trend is a dramatic rise in statewide ranking, from the 24th percentile in 2023-2024, to the 43rd percentile in 2024-2025, and up to the 66th percentile (505th of 1,492 schools) in 2025-2026, earning a 3-star rating. Test scores confirm this upward momentum. In 4th grade math, proficiency jumped from 47.3% to 74.7% in a single year, now outpacing both the district (63.3%) and state (61.4%) by double digits. Third grade math also improved to 67.8% proficiency, above state averages, while reading proficiency in both grades now meets or exceeds state benchmarks. This broad improvement across grades and subjects suggests a strong, school-wide push rather than a single standout class.

This success occurs despite significant challenges. An overwhelming 98.75% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, marking Leicester Elementary as a very high-poverty school. Chronic absenteeism affects 21.0% of students—higher than the district rate of 18.7% but below the statewide average of 24.2%—and remains an area to monitor given its link to learning. Even with these obstacles, the school’s recent performance is a positive sign for parents, although the data spans only two years of test scores and per-student spending figures are outdated from 2018-2019. For families considering this area, Leicester Elementary appears to be a school on a clear upward trajectory, with the caveat that students must transition to schools outside the zip code after 4th grade.