Forest Hill Elementary

Summary:

Forest Hill Elementary is a public elementary school in Morganton, North Carolina, serving 269 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Burke County Schools district, which is ranked 110 out of 242 districts in the state.

Forest Hill Elementary faces significant challenges, including a high-needs student population, persistent academic underperformance, and widening achievement gaps. The school has a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic students (66.17%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 5.23% to 12.9% Hispanic students. Additionally, Forest Hill Elementary consistently underperforms the district and state in standardized test scores, with its 3rd-grade math proficiency rate at 41.5% compared to 63.6% for the district and 62.7% for the state. The school also has an extremely high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 72.45% to 98.88% over the past three years, significantly higher than the nearby schools, which range from 66.6% to 94.37%.

Interestingly, the nearby schools, such as Valdese Elementary, Drexel Elementary, and Salem Elementary, generally outperform Forest Hill Elementary across academic measures, despite serving student populations with lower percentages of economically disadvantaged and minority students. Additionally, Forest Hill Elementary's performance has declined over the past several years, with the school's statewide ranking dropping from 476 out of 1440 in 2014-2015 to 1239 out of 1505 in 2023-2024.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 304 Ann Street
       Morganton, NC  28655


(828) 437-5906

District: Burke County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
1239th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,628 Help


Students who attend Forest Hill Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Liberty Middle
High:    Robert L. Patton High School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.8 Help
Number of students:  269

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
66.2%
White:
19.7%
African American:
7.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  98.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Forest Hill Elementary ranks worse than 82.3% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks last among 14 ranked elementary schools in the Burke County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 22.27. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (66.2%), White (19.7%), African American (7.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 98.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Burke County Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Forest Hill Elementary is 14.8, which is the 7th best among 14 elementary schools in the Burke County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Forest Hill Elementary employs 18.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Forest Hill Elementary is $10,628, which is the 4th highest among 14 elementary schools in the Burke County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Forest Hill Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Forest Hill Elementary 1239th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Forest Hill Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Burke County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Burke County Schools 110th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Forest Hill Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Forest Hill Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 67.24 384th 1276 69.9%
2007 81.41 150th 1293 88.4%
2008 86.46 105th 1324 92.1%
2009 88.08 74th 1354 94.5%
2010 85.14 116th 1363 91.5%
2011 86.48 105th 1381 92.4%
2012 74.72 303rd 1388 78.2%
2013 70.26 351st 1403 75.0%
2014 62.06 508th 1390 63.5%
2015 65.59 476th 1440 66.9%
2016 44.75 842nd 1425 40.9%
2017 42.26 884th 1429 38.1%
2018 45.39 837th 1434 41.6%
2019 45.45 834th 1473 43.4%
2021 38.94 884th 1489 40.6%
2022 26.54 1145th 1514 24.4%
2023 25.94 1155th 1502 23.1%
2024 22.27 1239th 1505 17.7%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Forest Hill Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.86 326th 421 22.6%
2019 21.14 458th 497 7.8%
2022 21.69 439th 485 9.5%
2023 23.19 443rd 514 13.8%
2024 18.41 499th 533 6.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Forest Hill Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.72 655th 1332 50.8%
2019 55.08 572nd 1361 58.0%
2021 43.82 711th 1329 46.5%
2022 28.80 1055th 1366 22.8%
2023 32.48 1031st 1437 28.3%
2024 33.72 1048th 1450 27.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Forest Hill Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.40 1033rd 1405 26.5%
2019 36.62 961st 1424 32.5%
2021 42.10 798th 1440 44.6%
2022 37.33 942nd 1458 35.4%
2023 31.03 1062nd 1459 27.2%
2024 18.54 1277th 1455 12.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Forest Hill Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.76 646th 897 28.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Forest Hill Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 65.32 118th 612 80.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Forest Hill Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.60 620th 1413 56.1%
2019 54.41 666th 1430 53.4%
2021 36.79 892nd 1444 38.2%
2022 20.60 1221st 1464 16.6%
2023 23.49 1174th 1461 19.6%
2024 27.43 1136th 1464 22.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Forest Hill Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.65 563rd 851 33.8%
2019 40.54 539th 865 37.7%
2021 35.97 547th 843 35.1%
2022 19.60 818th 893 8.4%
2023 25.49 740th 915 19.1%
2024 27.49 759th 951 20.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Forest Hill Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.36 361st 1178 69.4%
2019 53.71 554th 1183 53.2%
2021 82.83 153rd 1172 86.9%
2022 88.04 74th 1194 93.8%
2024 19.50 1028th 1166 11.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Forest Hill Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Forest Hill Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 355 76 5 2 1 n/a n/a -1 438
1989 351 79 7 0 0 n/a n/a 0 437
1990 353 75 6 0 0 n/a n/a 0 434
1991 357 59 5 1 0 n/a n/a 1 423
1992 354 49 7 2 0 n/a n/a 0 412
1993 284 51 5 0 0 n/a n/a 0 340
1994 287 60 5 3 2 n/a n/a 0 357
1995 321 68 17 5 3 n/a n/a 0 414
1996 321 68 17 5 3 n/a n/a 0 414
1997 286 79 23 7 2 n/a n/a 0 397
1998 294 85 21 7 5 n/a n/a 0 412
1999 311 81 32 19 2 n/a n/a 0 445
2000 292 76 28 45 3 n/a n/a 0 444
2001 284 73 25 52 2 n/a n/a 0 436
2002 242 50 15 62 2 n/a n/a 0 371
2003 242 50 15 62 2 n/a n/a 0 371
2004 242 60 13 77 0 n/a n/a 0 392
2005 218 66 17 77 1 n/a n/a 0 379
2006 239 75 16 95 1 n/a n/a 0 426
2007 257 42 8 105 1 n/a n/a 26 439
2008 253 35 14 94 3 n/a n/a 28 427
2009 253 69 14 98 4 n/a n/a 0 438
2010 247 68 15 116 4 n/a n/a 0 450
2011 229 36 15 149 3 0 32 0 464
2012 192 37 15 166 0 1 31 0 442
2013 185 38 15 213 0 1 26 0 478
2014 175 37 13 196 0 0 33 0 454
2015 151 43 12 241 0 0 29 0 476
2016 122 31 12 233 1 4 19 0 422
2017 114 30 17 248 1 8 22 0 440
2018 117 34 19 247 2 3 21 0 443
2019 73 30 13 175 0 2 12 0 305
2020 60 26 11 178 0 1 8 0 284
2021 56 18 8 177 0 0 6 0 265
2022 63 15 7 180 0 0 9 0 274
2023 53 19 9 178 0 0 10 0 269

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Forest Hill Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 438 25.0 17.5 13.9
1989 437 23.0 19.0 24.5
1990 434 23.0 18.8 18.9
1991 423 23.0 18.3 19.4
1992 412 23.0 17.9 12.6
1993 340 22.0 15.5 20.6
1994 357 20.0 17.8 17.6
1995 414 24.0 17.3 17.1
1996 414 24.0 17.3 17.1
1997 397 25.0 15.9 24.7
1998 412 27.0 15.3 20.9
1999 445 28.0 15.9 27.2
2000 444 29.0 15.3 34.5
2001 436 29.0 15.0 38.1
2002 371 28.0 13.3 37.2
2003 371 28.0 13.3 37.2
2004 392 28.0 14.0 44.6
2005 379 31.0 12.2 47.8
2006 426 31.0 13.7 48.8
2007 439 n/a n/a 44.3
2008 427 31.5 13.6 49.1
2009 438 30.1 14.6 40.4
2010 450 32.0 14.0 45.6
2011 464 30.3 15.2 48.3
2012 442 29.1 15.1 55.9
2013 478 30.7 15.5 59.4
2014 454 30.8 14.7 65.2
2015 476 30.0 15.8 97.9
2016 422 29.0 14.5 77
2017 440 28.5 15.4 79.5
2018 443 27.0 16.4 74.5
2019 305 21.3 14.2 77.4
2020 284 20.5 13.8 77.1
2021 265 17.8 14.8 72.5
2022 274 18.5 14.8 78.5
2023 269 18.1 14.8 98.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Forest Hill Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 438 25.0 17.5 13.9
1989 437 23.0 19.0 24.5
1990 434 23.0 18.8 18.9
1991 423 23.0 18.3 19.4
1992 412 23.0 17.9 12.6
1993 340 22.0 15.5 20.6
1994 357 20.0 17.8 17.6
1995 414 24.0 17.3 17.1
1996 414 24.0 17.3 17.1
1997 397 25.0 15.9 24.7
1998 412 27.0 15.3 20.9
1999 445 28.0 15.9 27.2
2000 444 29.0 15.3 34.5
2001 436 29.0 15.0 38.1
2002 371 28.0 13.3 37.2
2003 371 28.0 13.3 37.2
2004 392 28.0 14.0 44.6
2005 379 31.0 12.2 47.8
2006 426 31.0 13.7 48.8
2007 439 n/a n/a 44.3
2008 427 31.5 13.6 49.1
2009 438 30.1 14.6 40.4
2010 450 32.0 14.0 45.6
2011 464 30.3 15.2 48.3
2012 442 29.1 15.1 55.9
2013 478 30.7 15.5 59.4
2014 454 30.8 14.7 65.2
2015 476 30.0 15.8 97.9
2016 422 29.0 14.5 77
2017 440 28.5 15.4 79.5
2018 443 27.0 16.4 74.5
2019 305 21.3 14.2 77.4
2020 284 20.5 13.8 77.1
2021 265 17.8 14.8 72.5
2022 274 18.5 14.8 78.5
2023 269 18.1 14.8 98.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Forest Hill Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,562 (14.7%) $9,066 (85.3%) $10,628

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Forest Hill Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 834th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 1155th of 1502 Elementary schools
 20.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Forest Hill Elementary)68.144.7
 23.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Burke County Schools)66.563.6
 2.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Forest Hill Elementary)51.131.9
 19.2%
   3rd Grade Reading (Burke County Schools)59.443.3
 16.1%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Forest Hill Elementary)54.743.9
 10.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Burke County Schools)55.858.9
 3.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Forest Hill Elementary)54.741.5
 13.2%
   4th Grade Reading (Burke County Schools)60.354
 6.3%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Forest Hill Elementary)41.536.4
 5.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Burke County Schools)58.461.3
 2.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Forest Hill Elementary)55.440.9
 14.5%
   5th Grade Reading (Burke County Schools)53.851.1
 2.7%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Forest Hill Elementary)73.854.5
 19.3%
   5th Grade Science (Burke County Schools)81.572.7
 8.8%
   5th Grade Science (North Carolina)72.665.3
 7.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students305269
 11.8%
African American3019
 36.7%
American Indian00
Asian139
 30.8%
Hispanic175178
 1.7%
Pacific Islander20
 100%
White7353
 27.4%
Two or More Races1210
 16.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients77.4%98.9%
 21.5%


Schools Near Forest Hill Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Forest Hill Elementary

Students at Forest Hill Elementary are 66% Hispanic, 20% White, 7% African American, 4% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

Forest Hill Elementary ranks in the bottom 17.7% of North Carolina elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 269 students attended Forest Hill Elementary.

Students who attend Forest Hill Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Liberty Middle
High : Robert L. Patton High School


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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