Granite Falls Elementary

Summary:

Granite Falls Elementary is a public elementary school in Granite Falls, North Carolina, serving 582 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Caldwell County Schools district, which is ranked 151 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating.

Granite Falls Elementary consistently outperforms the Caldwell County Schools district and the state of North Carolina in standardized test scores, with 78% of 3rd graders proficient or better in Mathematics compared to 61.1% for the district and 62.7% for the state. This strong academic performance has earned the school a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger for several consecutive years. However, the school's student population is relatively homogeneous, with over 80% white students, which is lower than the nearby Hickory City Schools district. Additionally, the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch has increased significantly, from 35.03% in 2021-2022 to 56.53% in 2022-2023, indicating a growing population of students from lower-income families.

Granite Falls Elementary's relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 13.9 to 15.2 over the past three school years, is lower than the nearby schools in the Hickory City Schools district, which have ratios ranging from 13.6 to 15.7. This could be a contributing factor to the school's strong academic performance, as it allows for more individualized attention and support for students. However, the school's lack of racial diversity and the growing population of students from lower-income families may present challenges that the school and district will need to address to ensure continued success for all students.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 60 N Highland Avenue
       Granite Falls, NC  28630-1299


(828) 396-2222

District: Caldwell County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
520th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,703 Help


Students who attend Granite Falls Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Granite Falls Middle
High:    South Caldwell High

Student/teacher ratio:  15.2 Help
Number of students:  582

Racial breakdown:

White:
80.2%
Hispanic:
11.2%
Two or more races:
5.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  56.5% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Granite Falls Elementary ranks better than 65.4% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 2nd among 13 ranked elementary schools in the Caldwell County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.31. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (80.2%), Hispanic (11.2%), two or more races (5.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 56.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Caldwell County Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Granite Falls Elementary is 15.2. 10 elementary schools in the Caldwell County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Granite Falls Elementary employs 38.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Granite Falls Elementary is $8,703. 12 elementary schools in the Caldwell County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Granite Falls Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Granite Falls Elementary 520th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Granite Falls 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:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Caldwell County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Caldwell County Schools 151st of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Granite Falls Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Granite Falls Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 75.47 241st 1276 81.1%
2007 67.91 394th 1293 69.5%
2008 71.29 327th 1324 75.3%
2009 80.95 186th 1354 86.3%
2010 71.35 370th 1363 72.9%
2011 76.63 259th 1381 81.2%
2012 75.32 290th 1388 79.1%
2013 61.13 505th 1403 64.0%
2014 73.91 328th 1390 76.4%
2015 72.85 365th 1440 74.7%
2016 74.06 325th 1425 77.2%
2017 73.16 349th 1429 75.6%
2018 75.60 304th 1434 78.8%
2019 70.39 399th 1473 72.9%
2021 76.89 287th 1489 80.7%
2022 77.33 288th 1514 81.0%
2023 73.01 361st 1502 76.0%
2024 63.31 520th 1505 65.4%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Granite Falls Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 21.04 728th 801 9.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Granite Falls Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.36 202nd 1332 84.8%
2019 69.07 330th 1361 75.8%
2021 78.66 168th 1329 87.4%
2022 73.60 231st 1366 83.1%
2023 76.49 223rd 1437 84.5%
2024 58.09 550th 1450 62.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Granite Falls Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.93 286th 1405 79.6%
2019 66.16 446th 1424 68.7%
2021 62.98 463rd 1440 67.8%
2022 78.34 251st 1458 82.8%
2023 63.04 503rd 1459 65.5%
2024 62.48 503rd 1455 65.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Granite Falls Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 73.11 125th 897 86.1%
2019 64.53 201st 878 77.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Granite Falls Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 64.85 220th 612 64.1%
2021 72.55 79th 494 84.0%
2022 33.14 449th 500 10.2%
2023 40.00 503rd 582 13.6%
2024 22.16 641st 669 4.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Granite Falls Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.21 312th 1413 77.9%
2019 72.13 340th 1430 76.2%
2021 83.25 191st 1444 86.8%
2022 72.78 338th 1464 76.9%
2023 78.22 250th 1461 82.9%
2024 62.30 523rd 1464 64.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Granite Falls Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.11 37th 851 95.7%
2019 65.65 239th 865 72.4%
2021 52.45 339th 843 59.8%
2022 33.25 652nd 893 27.0%
2024 71.51 188th 951 80.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Granite Falls Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.18 485th 1178 58.8%
2019 50.69 599th 1183 49.4%
2021 59.45 443rd 1172 62.2%
2022 60.45 442nd 1194 63.0%
2023 49.47 618th 1183 47.8%
2024 42.68 721st 1166 38.2%
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.

Granite Falls 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 Granite Falls Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 790 4 1 0 0 n/a n/a 4 799
1989 802 7 3 0 0 n/a n/a 0 812
1990 697 5 2 1 0 n/a n/a 0 705
1991 716 2 0 1 0 n/a n/a 1 720
1992 697 4 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 702
1993 716 8 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 728
1994 703 7 0 5 0 n/a n/a 0 715
1995 731 10 0 7 0 n/a n/a 0 748
1996 731 10 0 7 0 n/a n/a 0 748
1997 693 7 0 10 0 n/a n/a 0 710
1998 712 14 0 19 0 n/a n/a 0 745
1999 712 15 0 18 0 n/a n/a 0 745
2000 749 31 5 24 0 n/a n/a 0 809
2001 750 29 3 19 1 n/a n/a 0 802
2002 657 21 7 21 1 n/a n/a 0 707
2003 657 21 7 21 1 n/a n/a 0 707
2004 667 26 3 30 1 n/a n/a 0 727
2005 686 28 4 24 1 n/a n/a 0 743
2006 640 23 7 29 1 n/a n/a 0 700
2007 630 11 7 39 0 n/a n/a 13 700
2008 645 8 11 35 0 n/a n/a 9 708
2009 638 19 12 36 0 n/a n/a 0 705
2010 624 23 9 40 1 n/a n/a 0 697
2011 594 7 6 35 1 0 15 0 658
2012 604 9 5 42 0 0 19 0 679
2013 605 14 6 40 0 0 17 0 682
2014 569 19 7 46 0 0 21 0 662
2015 539 14 7 46 0 0 19 0 625
2016 536 10 8 48 0 0 26 0 628
2017 509 12 7 56 0 0 19 0 603
2018 506 15 5 66 0 0 23 0 615
2019 498 12 6 77 0 0 25 0 618
2020 498 17 4 75 0 0 31 0 625
2021 431 17 3 66 0 1 21 0 539
2022 453 21 6 66 0 0 25 0 571
2023 467 16 3 65 0 0 31 0 582

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 Granite Falls Elementary

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 799 43.0 18.5 23.2
1989 812 47.0 17.2 26.7
1990 705 44.0 16.0 30.8
1991 720 43.0 16.7 30.1
1992 702 40.0 17.5 19.2
1993 728 38.0 19.2 21.6
1994 715 38.0 18.8 24.5
1995 748 39.0 19.2 21
1996 748 39.0 19.2 21
1997 710 38.0 18.7 24.9
1998 745 42.0 17.7 23.9
1999 745 38.0 19.6 29.4
2000 809 38.0 21.3 29.3
2001 802 45.0 17.8 32.8
2002 707 45.0 15.7 0
2003 707 45.0 15.7 0
2004 727 45.0 16.2 34.3
2005 743 45.0 16.5 34.2
2006 700 45.0 15.6 36
2007 700 n/a n/a 39.3
2008 708 40.0 17.7 39.8
2009 705 41.2 17.1 40.4
2010 697 38.6 18.0 47.3
2011 658 38.6 17.0 47.6
2012 679 38.6 17.5 48.3
2013 682 39.4 17.2 49
2014 662 37.3 17.7 48.8
2015 625 38.0 16.4 51.2
2016 628 35.0 17.9 48.9
2017 603 34.4 17.5 47.1
2018 615 35.6 17.2 45.9
2019 618 37.6 16.4 45.8
2020 625 38.6 16.1 43.2
2021 539 38.6 13.9 42.3
2022 571 38.0 15.0 35
2023 582 38.1 15.2 56.5

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 Granite Falls Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 799 43.0 18.5 23.2
1989 812 47.0 17.2 26.7
1990 705 44.0 16.0 30.8
1991 720 43.0 16.7 30.1
1992 702 40.0 17.5 19.2
1993 728 38.0 19.2 21.6
1994 715 38.0 18.8 24.5
1995 748 39.0 19.2 21
1996 748 39.0 19.2 21
1997 710 38.0 18.7 24.9
1998 745 42.0 17.7 23.9
1999 745 38.0 19.6 29.4
2000 809 38.0 21.3 29.3
2001 802 45.0 17.8 32.8
2002 707 45.0 15.7 0
2003 707 45.0 15.7 0
2004 727 45.0 16.2 34.3
2005 743 45.0 16.5 34.2
2006 700 45.0 15.6 36
2007 700 n/a n/a 39.3
2008 708 40.0 17.7 39.8
2009 705 41.2 17.1 40.4
2010 697 38.6 18.0 47.3
2011 658 38.6 17.0 47.6
2012 679 38.6 17.5 48.3
2013 682 39.4 17.2 49
2014 662 37.3 17.7 48.8
2015 625 38.0 16.4 51.2
2016 628 35.0 17.9 48.9
2017 603 34.4 17.5 47.1
2018 615 35.6 17.2 45.9
2019 618 37.6 16.4 45.8
2020 625 38.6 16.1 43.2
2021 539 38.6 13.9 42.3
2022 571 38.0 15.0 35
2023 582 38.1 15.2 56.5

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 Granite Falls Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $796 (9.1%) $7,907 (90.9%) $8,703

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Granite Falls 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 399th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 361st of 1502 Elementary schools
 3.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Granite Falls Elementary)75.372.8
 2.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Caldwell County Schools)60.351.5
 8.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Granite Falls Elementary)69.754.3
 15.4%
   3rd Grade Reading (Caldwell County Schools)58.843.4
 15.4%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Granite Falls Elementary)59.764.2
 4.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Caldwell County Schools)53.646.2
 7.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Granite Falls Elementary)65.360.5
 4.8%
   4th Grade Reading (Caldwell County Schools)60.546.7
 13.8%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Granite Falls Elementary)69.469.7
 0.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Caldwell County Schools)58.848
 10.8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Granite Falls Elementary)72.258.6
 13.6%
   5th Grade Reading (Caldwell County Schools)6044.1
 15.9%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Granite Falls Elementary)73.175.8
 2.7%
   5th Grade Science (Caldwell County Schools)75.160
 15.1%
   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 Students618582
 5.8%
African American1216
 33.3%
American Indian00
Asian63
 50%
Hispanic7765
 15.6%
Pacific Islander00
White498467
 6.2%
Two or More Races2531
 24%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients45.8%56.5%
 10.7%


Schools Near Granite Falls Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Granite Falls Elementary

In the 2022-23 school year, 582 students attended Granite Falls Elementary.

Students who attend Granite Falls Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Granite Falls Middle
High : South Caldwell High

Students at Granite Falls Elementary are 80% White, 11% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 3% African American.

Granite Falls Elementary ranks 520th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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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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