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Best Elementary Schools in Durham, NC (2025-26)
Every ranked elementary school in Durham, NC, ordered by SchoolGrade. A grade rewards actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact. Click a column heading to sort, or filter by school, city or district.
Durham, NC rankings: Elementary Schools
Durham, NC elementary schools ranked
| Rank | Grade | School | City | District | Actual | Projected | Impact | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | A | Easley Elementary (Magnet) | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 75% | 46% | Greatly Exceeds Expectations | 450 |
| #2 | A | Pearsontown Elementary (Magnet) | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 74% | 52% | Exceeds Expectations | 726 |
| #3 | A- | Morehead Montessori (Magnet) | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 72% | 52% | Exceeds Expectations | 227 |
| #4 | A- | Lyons Farm Elementary | Durham | 70% | 59% | Meets Expectations | 448 | |
| #5 | B+ | George Watts Elementary (Magnet) | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 68% | 45% | Greatly Exceeds Expectations | 315 |
| #6 | B | Oak Grove Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 64% | 26% | Greatly Exceeds Expectations | 472 |
| #7 | B | Burton Elementary (Magnet) | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 63% | 28% | Greatly Exceeds Expectations | 293 |
| #8 | B | Southwest Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 63% | 43% | Exceeds Expectations | 663 |
| #9 | B- | Little River K 8 School | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 60% | 44% | Exceeds Expectations | 374 |
| #10 | B- | Reaching All Minds Academy (Charter) | Durham | Reaching All Minds Academy | 60% | 23% | Greatly Exceeds Expectations | 400 |
| #11 | B- | Central Park School For Child (Charter) | Durham | Central Park School For Children | 59% | 41% | Exceeds Expectations | 594 |
| #12 | C+ | Club Boulevard Elementary (Magnet) | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 57% | 44% | Meets Expectations | 387 |
| #13 | C | Spring Valley Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 53% | 41% | Meets Expectations | 534 |
| #14 | C | E K Powe Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 52% | 42% | Meets Expectations | 383 |
| #15 | C | W G Pearson Elementary (Magnet) | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 51% | 25% | Greatly Exceeds Expectations | 333 |
| #16 | C- | Forest View Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 51% | 41% | Meets Expectations | 640 |
| #17 | C- | Merrick Moore Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 51% | 24% | Greatly Exceeds Expectations | 540 |
| #18 | C- | Glenn Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 50% | 23% | Greatly Exceeds Expectations | 563 |
| #19 | C- | The Institute Development Young Leaders (Charter) | Durham | The Institute for the Development of You | 50% | 17% | Greatly Exceeds Expectations | 397 |
| #20 | C- | Maureen Joy Charter School (Charter) | Durham | Maureen Joy Charter | 49% | 18% | Greatly Exceeds Expectations | 616 |
| #21 | C- | Kestrel Heights School (Charter) | Durham | Kestrel Heights School | 48% | 36% | Meets Expectations | 424 |
| #22 | D+ | R N Harris Elementary (Magnet) | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 45% | 22% | Greatly Exceeds Expectations | 291 |
| #23 | D | Hope Valley Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 44% | 43% | Underperforms Expectations | 627 |
| #24 | D | Sandy Ridge Elementary (Magnet) | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 44% | 33% | Meets Expectations | 484 |
| #25 | D | C C Spaulding Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 43% | 16% | Greatly Exceeds Expectations | 230 |
| #26 | D | Holt Elementary (Magnet) | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 42% | 27% | Meets Expectations | 636 |
| #27 | D | Bethesda Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 41% | 23% | Exceeds Expectations | 617 |
| #28 | D | Creekside Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 41% | 43% | Underperforms Expectations | 543 |
| #29 | D- | Eno Valley Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 40% | 23% | Exceeds Expectations | 572 |
| #30 | D- | Fayetteville Street Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 40% | 19% | Exceeds Expectations | 230 |
| #31 | D- | Research Triangle Charter (Charter) | Durham | Research Triangle Charter | 39% | 18% | Greatly Exceeds Expectations | 693 |
| #32 | D- | Global Scholars Academy (Charter) | Durham | Global Scholars Academy | 37% | 25% | Meets Expectations | 211 |
| #33 | D- | Lakewood Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 37% | 31% | Doesn't Meet Expectations | 385 |
| #34 | D- | Hillandale Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 36% | 34% | Doesn't Meet Expectations | 537 |
| #35 | D- | Parkwood Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 36% | 33% | Doesn't Meet Expectations | 602 |
| #36 | D- | Kipp Durham College Preparatory (Charter) | Durham | KIPP Durham College Preparatory | 35% | 14% | Greatly Exceeds Expectations | 311 |
| #37 | F | Eastway Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 34% | 22% | Meets Expectations | 402 |
| #38 | F | Community School Of Digital And Visual Art (Charter) | Durham | Community School of Digital and Visual A | 29% | 14% | Meets Expectations | 217 |
| #39 | F | Y E Smith Elementary | Durham | Durham Public Schools | 22% | 19% | Doesn't Meet Expectations | 286 |
How Durham, NC's elementary schools compare
A: 4B: 7C: 10D: 15F: 3
28% of the 39 ranked elementary schools in Durham, NC earn an A or B (4 A grades, 7 B, 10 C, 15 D, 3 F), against 46% of elementary schools nationwide. 33 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (85% here, 70% nationally), and 22 exceed it. On average 49% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 32% (national averages: 46% actual, 37% projected).
The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: Oak Grove Elementary (64% against 26%, B), Reaching All Minds Academy (60% against 23%, B-), Burton Elementary (63% against 28%, B), The Institute Development Young Leaders (50% against 17%, C-), Maureen Joy Charter School (49% against 18%, C-).
Districts with the most schools in the top quarter (the top 10): Durham Public Schools (8).
The largest ranked elementary schools: Pearsontown Elementary (726 students, A, #2), Research Triangle Charter (693 students, D-, #31), Southwest Elementary (663 students, B, #8).
Of the top 25, 9 are magnet schools and 5 are charters. Selective and specialised schools tend to post high actual scores; the projection column is the fairer comparison for a neighborhood school.
About this ranking
- Scope: public elementary schools in Durham, NC, as grouped on its schools page; the North Carolina ranking covers the whole state.
- Order: SchoolGrade, then actual proficiency, then name; schools with the same grade and score share a rank.
- Ranked: regular public schools that NCES lists as open, not fully online, with at least 30 students. Others are listed with the reason.
- Tags: Magnet and Charter from the NCES school directory; K-12 marks schools serving every grade that are ranked with the elementary schools.
- Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model. How SchoolGrade works
Questions about elementary schools in Durham, NC
What is the best elementary school in Durham, NC?
Easley Elementary in Durham ranks first among the 39 ranked elementary schools in Durham, NC with a SchoolGrade of A, 75% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 46%.
How are elementary schools in Durham, NC ranked?
By SchoolGrade, the 2025-26 model that scores each school's actual test proficiency against the level projected for its student context, then by actual proficiency to break ties. Regular public schools that are open, not fully online and have at least 30 students are ranked; the rest are listed below the table with the reason.
How many elementary schools does Durham, NC have?
SchoolGrade grades 39 public elementary schools in Durham, NC; 39 are ranked here.