Balls Creek Elementary

Summary:

Balls Creek Elementary is a public elementary school located in Newton, North Carolina, serving grades PK-6 with a student population of 679. The school is part of the Catawba County Schools district, which is ranked 71 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Balls Creek Elementary consistently performs above the Catawba County Schools and North Carolina state averages in mathematics and science proficiency across all grade levels. In the 2023-2024 school year, 85.3% of 6th-grade students were proficient or better in mathematics, compared to 62.4% for Catawba County Schools and 54.3% for the state. The school also excels in 5th-grade science proficiency, with 74% of students proficient or better, compared to 71.3% for Catawba County Schools and 66.2% for the state. Additionally, Balls Creek Elementary has a highly ranked gifted and talented program, ranking 5th out of 669 North Carolina elementary schools in the 2023-2024 school year, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Compared to some nearby schools, such as Pumpkin Center Primary and Pumpkin Center Intermediate in the Lincoln County Schools district, Balls Creek Elementary has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a relatively higher socioeconomic status among its student population. However, the school's racial makeup is less diverse than some of the surrounding schools, with a higher percentage of White students.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 2620 Balls Creek Road
       Newton, NC  28658-9650


(828) 464-4766

District: Catawba County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
383rd of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,471 Help


Students who attend Balls Creek Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Mill Creek Middle
High:    Bandys High

Student/teacher ratio:  14.8 Help
Number of students:  679

Racial breakdown:

White:
76.9%
Hispanic:
10.2%
Two or more races:
6.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  56.7% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

 Compare Balls Creek Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Balls Creek Elementary ranks better than 74.6% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 4th among 16 ranked elementary schools in the Catawba County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 71.18. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (76.9%), Hispanic (10.2%), two or more races (6.9%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 56.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Balls Creek Elementary is 14.8. 10 elementary schools in the Catawba County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Balls Creek Elementary employs 45.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Balls Creek Elementary is $9,471. 8 elementary schools in the Catawba County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Balls Creek Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Balls Creek Elementary 383rd of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Balls Creek 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:


Catawba County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Catawba County Schools 71st of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Balls Creek Elementary?

Rank History for Balls Creek Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Balls Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 63.16 472nd 1276 63.0%
2007 50.88 722nd 1293 44.2%
2008 64.78 451st 1324 65.9%
2009 74.83 298th 1354 78.0%
2010 66.95 472nd 1363 65.4%
2011 69.63 415th 1381 69.9%
2012 64.07 527th 1388 62.0%
2013 61.59 493rd 1403 64.9%
2014 59.08 555th 1390 60.1%
2015 71.09 393rd 1440 72.7%
2016 70.01 395th 1425 72.3%
2017 60.66 564th 1429 60.5%
2018 74.83 315th 1434 78.0%
2019 72.45 358th 1473 75.7%
2021 76.07 300th 1489 79.9%
2022 70.92 391st 1514 74.2%
2023 73.67 348th 1502 76.8%
2024 71.18 383rd 1505 74.6%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Balls Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 50.34 75th 154 51.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Balls Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 57.85 130th 485 73.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Balls Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 42.53 417th 801 47.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Balls Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.23 237th 1332 82.2%
2019 69.60 324th 1361 76.2%
2021 63.75 358th 1329 73.1%
2022 71.55 262nd 1366 80.8%
2023 72.51 280th 1437 80.5%
2024 70.47 313th 1450 78.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Balls Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.39 536th 1405 61.9%
2019 57.03 609th 1424 57.2%
2021 65.41 425th 1440 70.5%
2022 62.27 511th 1458 65.0%
2023 71.95 357th 1459 75.5%
2024 68.08 399th 1455 72.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Balls Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.44 83rd 897 90.7%
2019 75.03 111th 878 87.4%
2021 55.15 205th 646 68.3%
2022 56.17 195th 634 69.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Balls Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 68.38 11th 612 98.2%
2024 72.95 5th 669 99.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Balls Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.53 184th 1413 87.0%
2019 80.94 206th 1430 85.6%
2021 81.76 209th 1444 85.5%
2022 75.83 297th 1464 79.7%
2023 72.79 332nd 1461 77.3%
2024 71.33 366th 1464 75.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Balls Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.98 307th 851 63.9%
2019 55.92 349th 865 59.7%
2021 65.80 198th 843 76.5%
2022 44.94 480th 893 46.2%
2023 61.79 276th 915 69.8%
2024 57.68 351st 951 63.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Balls Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.21 390th 1178 66.9%
2019 59.70 470th 1183 60.3%
2021 67.06 349th 1172 70.2%
2022 60.28 446th 1194 62.6%
2023 62.85 421st 1183 64.4%
2024 58.30 481st 1166 58.7%
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.

Balls Creek Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

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0%

100%

  

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Balls Creek Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 744 19 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 766
1989 725 21 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 750
1990 744 19 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 767
1991 764 23 4 6 0 n/a n/a 0 797
1992 745 21 2 10 0 n/a n/a 0 778
1993 727 20 2 10 0 n/a n/a 0 759
1994 741 19 4 21 0 n/a n/a 0 785
1995 802 26 7 21 0 n/a n/a 0 856
1996 802 26 7 21 0 n/a n/a 0 856
1997 852 20 8 22 0 n/a n/a 0 902
1998 911 23 8 23 4 n/a n/a 0 969
1999 914 31 13 25 3 n/a n/a 0 986
2000 790 25 14 25 0 n/a n/a 0 854
2001 798 36 19 31 2 n/a n/a 0 886
2002 783 35 21 39 0 n/a n/a 0 878
2003 783 35 21 39 0 n/a n/a 0 878
2004 767 41 16 49 3 n/a n/a 0 876
2005 745 40 11 40 5 n/a n/a 0 841
2006 711 40 13 48 3 n/a n/a 0 815
2007 506 22 15 46 4 n/a n/a 19 612
2008 566 25 18 57 4 n/a n/a 18 688
2009 575 44 18 56 4 n/a n/a 0 697
2010 579 53 16 64 2 n/a n/a 0 714
2011 579 21 16 66 1 0 31 0 714
2012 586 18 18 64 0 0 26 0 712
2013 547 22 16 71 0 0 23 0 679
2014 495 19 13 63 0 0 24 0 614
2015 489 18 16 66 1 0 22 0 612
2016 456 14 21 81 1 0 17 0 590
2017 491 11 19 91 1 0 18 0 631
2018 518 10 28 99 1 1 36 0 693
2019 523 11 33 100 1 1 36 0 705
2020 521 13 29 85 1 1 32 0 682
2021 492 14 28 75 1 1 46 0 657
2022 483 15 23 83 0 1 47 0 652
2023 522 13 27 69 0 1 47 0 679

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 Balls Creek Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 766 39.0 19.6 9.3
1989 750 43.0 17.4 14.8
1990 767 43.0 17.8 13.7
1991 797 44.0 18.1 13.2
1992 778 44.0 17.6 10.8
1993 759 41.0 18.5 13
1994 785 42.0 18.7 13.1
1995 856 48.0 17.8 13.6
1996 856 48.0 17.8 13.6
1997 902 52.0 17.3 15.1
1998 969 60.0 16.2 15.8
1999 986 60.0 16.4 22
2000 854 60.0 14.2 30.2
2001 886 60.0 14.8 26.6
2002 878 60.0 14.6 27.9
2003 878 60.0 14.6 27.9
2004 876 60.0 14.6 31.7
2005 841 60.0 14.0 32.9
2006 815 55.0 14.8 34.7
2007 612 n/a n/a 35.4
2008 688 41.5 16.6 37.2
2009 697 41.3 16.9 41.2
2010 714 42.0 17.0 49.2
2011 714 40.5 17.6 50.3
2012 712 39.7 17.9 52.1
2013 679 39.1 17.3 54.2
2014 614 38.3 16.0 55.4
2015 612 39.0 15.6 54.2
2016 590 39.0 15.1 49.2
2017 631 37.7 16.7 55
2018 693 40.0 17.2 50.8
2019 705 45.4 15.5 49.4
2020 682 45.6 14.9 48.1
2021 657 46.7 14.0 39.6
2022 652 43.9 14.8 42.9
2023 679 45.5 14.8 56.7

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 Balls Creek Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 766 39.0 19.6 9.3
1989 750 43.0 17.4 14.8
1990 767 43.0 17.8 13.7
1991 797 44.0 18.1 13.2
1992 778 44.0 17.6 10.8
1993 759 41.0 18.5 13
1994 785 42.0 18.7 13.1
1995 856 48.0 17.8 13.6
1996 856 48.0 17.8 13.6
1997 902 52.0 17.3 15.1
1998 969 60.0 16.2 15.8
1999 986 60.0 16.4 22
2000 854 60.0 14.2 30.2
2001 886 60.0 14.8 26.6
2002 878 60.0 14.6 27.9
2003 878 60.0 14.6 27.9
2004 876 60.0 14.6 31.7
2005 841 60.0 14.0 32.9
2006 815 55.0 14.8 34.7
2007 612 n/a n/a 35.4
2008 688 41.5 16.6 37.2
2009 697 41.3 16.9 41.2
2010 714 42.0 17.0 49.2
2011 714 40.5 17.6 50.3
2012 712 39.7 17.9 52.1
2013 679 39.1 17.3 54.2
2014 614 38.3 16.0 55.4
2015 612 39.0 15.6 54.2
2016 590 39.0 15.1 49.2
2017 631 37.7 16.7 55
2018 693 40.0 17.2 50.8
2019 705 45.4 15.5 49.4
2020 682 45.6 14.9 48.1
2021 657 46.7 14.0 39.6
2022 652 43.9 14.8 42.9
2023 679 45.5 14.8 56.7

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 Balls Creek Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,315 (13.9%) $8,156 (86.1%) $9,471

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Balls Creek 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 358th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 348th of 1502 Elementary schools
 1.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Balls Creek Elementary)67.979.8
 11.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Catawba County Schools)63.665
 1.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Balls Creek Elementary)52.450
 2.4%
   3rd Grade Reading (Catawba County Schools)54.142.5
 11.6%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Balls Creek Elementary)67.651.9
 15.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Catawba County Schools)58.858.5
 0.3%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Balls Creek Elementary)64.962.3
 2.6%
   4th Grade Reading (Catawba County Schools)59.255.9
 3.3%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Balls Creek Elementary)75.366.3
 9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Catawba County Schools)61.759.3
 2.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Balls Creek Elementary)60.857.7
 3.1%
   5th Grade Reading (Catawba County Schools)58.747.3
 11.4%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Balls Creek Elementary)85.680.8
 4.8%
   5th Grade Science (Catawba County Schools)80.368.8
 11.5%
   5th Grade Science (North Carolina)72.665.3
 7.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Balls Creek Elementary)86.584
 2.5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Catawba County Schools)67.564.7
 2.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (Balls Creek Elementary)69.857
 12.8%
   6th Grade Reading (Catawba County Schools)67.355.7
 11.6%
   6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)6049.3
 10.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students705679
 3.7%
African American1113
 18.2%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian3327
 18.2%
Hispanic10069
 31%
Pacific Islander11
White523522
 0.2%
Two or More Races3647
 30.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients49.4%56.7%
 7.3%


Schools Near Balls Creek Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Balls Creek Elementary

Students at Balls Creek Elementary are 77% White, 10% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 2% African American.

Students who attend Balls Creek Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Mill Creek Middle
High : Bandys High

Balls Creek Elementary ranks 383rd of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 679 students attended Balls Creek 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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