Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 28987

ZIP code 28987 is home to one elementary school, Southern Pines Elementary, which serves grades PK–5 in Moore County Schools. Because only one elementary school exists in this area, the most useful comparisons are against the district and North Carolina state averages. Southern Pines Elementary is a 3-star school, ranking 624 out of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools in the most recent year, placing it in the 58th percentile. It enrolls about 600 students with a student-teacher ratio of 16.1. The district itself is strong, ranking 63 out of 246 districts (74th percentile) with a 4-star rating, so the school’s challenge is keeping pace with a well-above-average district.

In the most recent testing year, Southern Pines Elementary outperformed the state in 4th and 5th grade math and reading, while falling slightly behind in 3rd grade reading and 5th grade science. It was essentially at the state average for 3rd grade math, but below its district in nearly every subject. Year-over-year, the school posted strong gains in upper grades: 4th grade math rose 7.7 points, 5th grade math rose 7.2 points, and 5th grade reading rose 6.5 points. However, 3rd grade reading fell 4.6 points to 51.5%, well below both the district (62.8%) and the state (55.6%). Overall, the school’s proficiency averages climbed from 59.2% to 62.4%, above the state average of 61.0% but below the district’s 68.1%.

Notably, Southern Pines Elementary serves a student population with a 99.33% free/reduced-price lunch rate, yet still manages to score above the state average overall. Chronic absenteeism is a concern at 27.0%, higher than both the district (19.3%) and the state (24.2%). Science is a consistent weak spot, with 5th grade science trailing the district and state in both recent years. The school made a big jump from the 44th percentile (2 stars) in 2023–2024 to the 60th percentile (3 stars) in 2024–2025, and has remained a solidly mid-to-upper-tier elementary school since. For parents, the key watch items are improving 3rd grade reading and science achievement, while celebrating the school’s clear strength in upper-grade math and reading.