Ray Childers Elementary

Summary:

Ray Childers Elementary is a public elementary school in Hickory, North Carolina, serving 457 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.

Ray Childers Elementary consistently outperforms the district and state in mathematics proficiency across grades 3-5, with 74.6% of 3rd graders, 66.2% of 4th graders, and 71.4% of 5th graders proficient or better in 2023-2024. However, the school's reading proficiency is more mixed, with 3rd and 4th grade rates below the district and state, but 5th grade reading at 46%, slightly below the district and state. The school's 5th grade science proficiency of 73% is significantly higher than the district (71.7%) and state (66.2%) averages. Ray Childers has a diverse student population, with higher percentages of Asian (11.16%) and Hispanic (12.04%) students compared to nearby schools and the state, but a lower percentage of African American students (1.97%).

While Ray Childers Elementary has excelled in mathematics and science, the school has seen a decline in its statewide ranking in recent years, primarily due to a drop in reading proficiency, particularly in the lower grades. When compared to nearby schools in the Burke County Schools district, Ray Childers generally outperforms them in mathematics and science, but lags behind in reading. However, compared to schools in the Hickory City Schools district, the school's performance is more mixed, with some schools, such as Mountain View Elementary and Oakwood Elementary, outperforming Ray Childers in various subject areas.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1183 Cape Hickory Road
       Hickory, NC  28601


(828) 324-1340

District: Burke County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
514th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,027 Help


Students who attend Ray Childers Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    East Burke Middle
High:    East Burke High

Student/teacher ratio:  14.9 Help
Number of students:  457

Racial breakdown:

White:
68.7%
Hispanic:
12.0%
Asian:
11.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  74.6% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Ray Childers Elementary ranks better than 65.8% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 7th among 14 ranked elementary schools in the Burke County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.66. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (68.7%), Hispanic (12%), Asian (11.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 74.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ray Childers Elementary is 14.9. 7 elementary schools in the Burke County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Ray Childers Elementary employs 30.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ray Childers Elementary is $10,027. 7 elementary schools in the Burke County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ray Childers Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Ray Childers Elementary 514th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Ray Childers Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male 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 Ray Childers Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Ray Childers Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 58.81 559th 1276 56.2%
2007 65.54 432nd 1293 66.6%
2008 56.27 614th 1324 53.6%
2009 56.73 670th 1354 50.5%
2010 64.18 527th 1363 61.3%
2011 67.86 453rd 1381 67.2%
2012 67.08 459th 1388 66.9%
2013 75.51 293rd 1403 79.1%
2014 60.29 529th 1390 61.9%
2015 80.01 241st 1440 83.3%
2016 78.25 263rd 1425 81.5%
2017 72.90 352nd 1429 75.4%
2018 70.64 389th 1434 72.9%
2019 60.12 570th 1473 61.3%
2021 43.89 806th 1489 45.9%
2022 46.15 807th 1514 46.7%
2023 58.56 608th 1502 59.5%
2024 63.66 514th 1505 65.8%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Ray Childers Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 60.87 209th 801 73.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ray Childers Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.07 69th 1332 94.8%
2019 73.71 249th 1361 81.7%
2021 63.06 368th 1329 72.3%
2022 64.55 364th 1366 73.4%
2023 78.46 182nd 1437 87.3%
2024 81.14 142nd 1450 90.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Ray Childers Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.35 403rd 1405 71.3%
2019 57.04 608th 1424 57.3%
2021 46.25 730th 1440 49.3%
2022 46.98 762nd 1458 47.7%
2023 55.29 631st 1459 56.8%
2024 62.07 516th 1455 64.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Ray Childers Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.74 660th 897 26.4%
2019 33.95 618th 878 29.6%
2021 46.34 280th 646 56.7%
2022 41.91 320th 634 49.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Ray Childers Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 65.32 188th 612 69.3%
2021 40.43 386th 494 21.9%
2023 67.99 102nd 582 82.5%
2024 61.47 279th 669 58.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Ray Childers Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.09 384th 1413 72.8%
2019 60.43 530th 1430 62.9%
2021 41.38 834th 1444 42.2%
2022 44.80 808th 1464 44.8%
2023 59.63 572nd 1461 60.8%
2024 62.61 520th 1464 64.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Ray Childers Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 18.07 93rd 106 12.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Ray Childers Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 26.88 682nd 843 19.1%
2022 53.78 351st 893 60.7%
2023 67.55 210th 915 77.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Ray Childers Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.09 637th 1178 45.9%
2019 39.46 770th 1183 34.9%
2021 23.71 969th 1172 17.3%
2022 21.19 1034th 1194 13.4%
2023 33.27 864th 1183 27.0%
2024 44.45 695th 1166 40.4%
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.

Ray Childers 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 Ray Childers Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2000 394 4 43 1 2 n/a n/a 0 444
2001 430 4 51 1 3 n/a n/a 0 489
2002 469 6 42 12 3 n/a n/a 0 532
2003 469 6 42 12 3 n/a n/a 0 532
2004 465 12 52 9 2 n/a n/a 0 540
2005 477 18 48 21 2 n/a n/a 0 566
2006 440 19 52 22 5 n/a n/a 0 538
2007 430 10 52 16 0 n/a n/a 17 525
2008 402 6 60 16 0 n/a n/a 19 503
2009 397 27 64 15 0 n/a n/a 0 503
2010 402 18 57 17 0 n/a n/a 0 494
2011 402 2 22 23 1 5 30 0 485
2012 360 4 33 25 0 5 25 0 452
2013 345 4 27 32 0 2 23 0 433
2014 313 5 33 31 0 0 9 0 391
2015 335 6 36 39 0 0 10 0 426
2016 359 7 37 45 0 0 16 0 464
2017 367 9 29 48 2 0 16 0 471
2018 353 5 40 47 0 1 11 0 457
2019 374 6 47 42 0 1 14 0 484
2020 343 8 45 49 0 1 19 0 465
2021 313 6 48 46 1 0 24 0 438
2022 325 5 48 55 1 0 26 0 460
2023 314 9 51 55 1 1 26 0 457

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 Ray Childers Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2000 444 26.0 17.1 38.1
2001 489 26.0 18.8 38.7
2002 532 39.0 13.6 39.8
2003 532 39.0 13.6 39.8
2004 540 41.0 13.2 43.3
2005 566 45.0 12.6 51.6
2006 538 45.0 12.0 53
2007 525 n/a n/a 53.3
2008 503 38.3 13.1 63.8
2009 503 37.3 13.5 55.1
2010 494 35.0 14.1 62.6
2011 485 32.1 15.0 65.8
2012 452 30.0 15.0 66.6
2013 433 30.0 14.4 71.6
2014 391 29.5 13.2 76
2015 426 28.0 15.2 99.3
2016 464 30.0 15.4 69.4
2017 471 28.5 16.5 65.6
2018 457 27.4 16.6 63.9
2019 484 31.5 15.3 69.2
2020 465 31.5 14.7 62.8
2021 438 31.5 13.9 63.5
2022 460 29.4 15.6 60.9
2023 457 30.5 14.9 74.6

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 Ray Childers Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2000 444 26.0 17.1 38.1
2001 489 26.0 18.8 38.7
2002 532 39.0 13.6 39.8
2003 532 39.0 13.6 39.8
2004 540 41.0 13.2 43.3
2005 566 45.0 12.6 51.6
2006 538 45.0 12.0 53
2007 525 n/a n/a 53.3
2008 503 38.3 13.1 63.8
2009 503 37.3 13.5 55.1
2010 494 35.0 14.1 62.6
2011 485 32.1 15.0 65.8
2012 452 30.0 15.0 66.6
2013 433 30.0 14.4 71.6
2014 391 29.5 13.2 76
2015 426 28.0 15.2 99.3
2016 464 30.0 15.4 69.4
2017 471 28.5 16.5 65.6
2018 457 27.4 16.6 63.9
2019 484 31.5 15.3 69.2
2020 465 31.5 14.7 62.8
2021 438 31.5 13.9 63.5
2022 460 29.4 15.6 60.9
2023 457 30.5 14.9 74.6

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 Ray Childers Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,439 (14.4%) $8,588 (85.6%) $10,027

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Ray Childers 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 570th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 608th of 1502 Elementary schools
 1.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Ray Childers Elementary)61.173.1
 12%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Burke County Schools)66.563.6
 2.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Ray Childers Elementary)61.140.3
 20.8%
   3rd Grade Reading (Burke County Schools)59.443.3
 16.1%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Ray Childers Elementary)80.360.9
 19.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Burke County Schools)55.858.9
 3.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Ray Childers Elementary)65.256.3
 8.9%
   4th Grade Reading (Burke County Schools)60.354
 6.3%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Ray Childers Elementary)57.155.3
 1.8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Burke County Schools)58.461.3
 2.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Ray Childers Elementary)5052.6
 2.6%
   5th Grade Reading (Burke County Schools)53.851.1
 2.7%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Ray Childers Elementary)79.868.4
 11.4%
   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 Students484457
 5.6%
African American69
 50%
American Indian01
Asian4751
 8.5%
Hispanic4255
 31%
Pacific Islander11
White374314
 16%
Two or More Races1426
 85.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients69.2%74.6%
 5.4%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Ray Childers Elementary

Ray Childers Elementary ranks 514th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Ray Childers Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : East Burke Middle
High : East Burke High

Students at Ray Childers Elementary are 69% White, 12% Hispanic, 11% Asian, 6% Two or more races, 2% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 457 students attended Ray Childers Elementary.


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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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