Blackburn Elementary

Summary:

Blackburn Elementary is a public elementary school in Newton, North Carolina, serving students from kindergarten to 6th grade as part of the Catawba County Schools district. The school has a diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 58.06% White, 5.5% African American, 16.13% Hispanic, 12.52% Asian, and 7.4% two or more races.

Blackburn Elementary consistently outperforms the Catawba County Schools district and the state of North Carolina in mathematics proficiency across all grade levels, with 69.1% of 3rd-grade students, 70.7% of 5th-grade students, and 59.8% of 6th-grade students being proficient or better in the 2023-2024 school year. However, the school's reading performance is more mixed, with some grade levels performing above the district and state averages, while others are below. Blackburn's 5th-grade students also consistently outperform the district and state in science proficiency. Interestingly, the school's female students outperform their male counterparts, while the Asian students perform relatively poorly compared to their peers across the state.

Compared to nearby schools, Blackburn Elementary's academic performance is generally stronger than Maiden Elementary and Banoak Elementary, but lags behind the performance of Mountain View Elementary, which is also part of the Catawba County Schools district. Schools in the neighboring Hickory City Schools district, such as Longview Elementary and Oakwood Elementary, generally perform worse than Blackburn Elementary, especially in mathematics and reading.


Detail:

Public K-6

 4377 W NC 10 Hwy
       Newton, NC  28658-9775


(704) 462-1344

District: Catawba County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
519th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,091 Help


Students who attend Blackburn Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Jacobs Fork Middle
High:    Fred T Foard High

Student/teacher ratio:  15.7 Help
Number of students:  527

Racial breakdown:

White:
58.1%
Hispanic:
16.1%
Asian:
12.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  55.8% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Blackburn Elementary ranks better than 65.5% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 8th among 16 ranked elementary schools in the Catawba County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.32. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Blackburn Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (58.1%), Hispanic (16.1%), Asian (12.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 55.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Blackburn Elementary is 15.7. 14 elementary schools in the Catawba County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Blackburn Elementary employs 33.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Blackburn Elementary is $9,091. 12 elementary schools in the Catawba County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Blackburn Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Blackburn Elementary 519th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Blackburn Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Catawba County Schools:

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

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Blackburn Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Blackburn Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 86.37 90th 1276 92.9%
2007 84.85 94th 1293 92.7%
2008 83.43 145th 1324 89.0%
2009 83.20 149th 1354 89.0%
2010 80.10 198th 1363 85.5%
2011 72.24 360th 1381 73.9%
2012 64.61 517th 1388 62.8%
2013 65.71 427th 1403 69.6%
2014 68.66 418th 1390 69.9%
2015 66.31 470th 1440 67.4%
2016 48.38 765th 1425 46.3%
2017 51.61 722nd 1429 49.5%
2018 63.71 520th 1434 63.7%
2019 60.81 557th 1473 62.2%
2021 67.77 432nd 1489 71.0%
2022 60.69 577th 1514 61.9%
2023 61.88 547th 1502 63.6%
2024 63.32 519th 1505 65.5%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Blackburn Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 4.55 84th 86 2.3%
2021 44.53 49th 97 49.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Blackburn Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.58 103rd 421 75.5%
2019 55.34 159th 497 68.0%
2021 62.04 77th 385 80.0%
2022 50.84 184th 485 62.1%
2023 53.76 179th 514 65.2%
2024 54.66 179th 533 66.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Blackburn Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.12 471st 1332 64.6%
2019 57.13 540th 1361 60.3%
2021 73.86 209th 1329 84.3%
2022 71.22 265th 1366 80.6%
2023 62.94 446th 1437 69.0%
2024 61.29 475th 1450 67.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Blackburn Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.32 424th 1405 69.8%
2019 59.19 575th 1424 59.6%
2021 63.94 450th 1440 68.8%
2022 68.01 411th 1458 71.8%
2023 67.46 423rd 1459 71.0%
2024 68.16 397th 1455 72.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Blackburn Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.46 592nd 897 34.0%
2021 44.26 307th 646 52.5%
2022 27.32 504th 634 20.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Blackburn Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 68.62 8th 612 98.7%
2022 53.17 322nd 500 35.6%
2023 73.18 3rd 582 99.5%
2024 69.56 121st 669 81.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Blackburn Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.80 582nd 1413 58.8%
2019 61.42 511th 1430 64.3%
2021 68.57 407th 1444 71.8%
2022 52.32 684th 1464 53.3%
2023 55.28 642nd 1461 56.1%
2024 57.34 604th 1464 58.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Blackburn Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.66 92nd 99 7.1%
2021 9.20 84th 95 11.6%
2022 30.77 85th 107 20.6%
2023 23.97 94th 114 17.5%
2024 24.75 111th 130 14.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Blackburn Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.98 223rd 851 73.8%
2019 53.06 388th 865 55.1%
2021 67.47 186th 843 77.9%
2022 47.09 436th 893 51.2%
2023 62.62 267th 915 70.8%
2024 47.39 486th 951 48.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Blackburn Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.47 551st 1178 53.2%
2019 42.51 733rd 1183 38.0%
2021 56.06 492nd 1172 58.0%
2022 46.96 652nd 1194 45.4%
2023 54.03 558th 1183 52.8%
2024 54.77 533rd 1166 54.3%
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.

Blackburn 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: 4)
0%

100%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for Blackburn Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 757 57 6 1 0 n/a n/a 0 821
1989 700 56 7 1 2 n/a n/a 1 767
1990 695 66 8 1 1 n/a n/a 0 771
1991 686 56 10 2 1 n/a n/a 0 755
1992 704 47 12 2 0 n/a n/a 1 766
1993 697 46 12 7 0 n/a n/a 0 762
1994 770 51 11 4 1 n/a n/a 0 837
1995 505 33 8 0 0 n/a n/a 0 546
1996 505 33 8 0 0 n/a n/a 0 546
1997 511 36 22 0 1 n/a n/a 0 570
1998 501 43 26 7 1 n/a n/a 0 578
1999 534 41 41 9 1 n/a n/a 0 626
2000 551 38 48 12 0 n/a n/a 0 649
2001 567 39 51 20 0 n/a n/a 0 677
2002 570 45 56 25 0 n/a n/a 0 696
2003 570 45 56 25 0 n/a n/a 0 696
2004 567 39 52 21 0 n/a n/a 0 679
2005 593 36 60 17 0 n/a n/a 0 706
2006 584 46 70 27 0 n/a n/a 0 727
2007 575 36 74 30 0 n/a n/a 20 735
2008 585 32 63 33 1 n/a n/a 23 737
2009 569 65 74 37 1 n/a n/a 0 746
2010 525 56 72 44 0 n/a n/a 0 697
2011 534 23 66 64 0 0 30 0 717
2012 514 29 69 65 0 0 25 0 702
2013 500 27 65 67 1 1 30 0 691
2014 495 39 75 67 0 2 32 0 710
2015 484 39 67 71 2 2 28 0 693
2016 467 37 64 68 1 1 33 0 671
2017 441 40 80 75 1 1 35 0 673
2018 411 30 72 87 1 1 34 0 636
2019 398 30 62 77 1 3 33 0 604
2020 340 31 63 81 1 2 31 0 549
2021 300 28 58 71 1 3 35 0 496
2022 314 29 60 83 0 2 38 0 526
2023 306 29 66 85 0 2 39 0 527

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 Blackburn Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 821 46.0 17.8 7.6
1989 767 53.0 14.4 18.3
1990 771 53.0 14.5 13.2
1991 755 53.0 14.2 13.5
1992 766 53.0 14.4 6
1993 762 48.0 15.9 8
1994 837 49.0 17.1 7.4
1995 546 30.0 18.2 17.8
1996 546 30.0 18.2 17.8
1997 570 32.0 17.8 15.4
1998 578 37.0 15.6 15.1
1999 626 37.0 16.9 19.3
2000 649 37.0 17.5 24.7
2001 677 45.0 15.0 20.5
2002 696 45.0 15.5 29.6
2003 696 45.0 15.5 29.6
2004 679 45.0 15.1 29
2005 706 45.0 15.7 29.2
2006 727 46.0 15.8 34.1
2007 735 n/a n/a 33.6
2008 737 43.1 17.1 37.5
2009 746 43.2 17.3 34.3
2010 697 38.9 17.9 39.3
2011 717 38.3 18.7 42.5
2012 702 38.2 18.3 46.3
2013 691 38.0 18.1 52.2
2014 710 39.1 18.1 50.6
2015 693 42.0 16.5 47.3
2016 671 38.0 17.6 50.5
2017 673 37.5 17.9 50.2
2018 636 37.8 16.7 49.2
2019 604 36.9 16.3 49
2020 549 34.0 16.1 47.9
2021 496 33.9 14.5 42.7
2022 526 32.5 16.1 44.5
2023 527 33.5 15.7 55.8

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 Blackburn Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 821 46.0 17.8 7.6
1989 767 53.0 14.4 18.3
1990 771 53.0 14.5 13.2
1991 755 53.0 14.2 13.5
1992 766 53.0 14.4 6
1993 762 48.0 15.9 8
1994 837 49.0 17.1 7.4
1995 546 30.0 18.2 17.8
1996 546 30.0 18.2 17.8
1997 570 32.0 17.8 15.4
1998 578 37.0 15.6 15.1
1999 626 37.0 16.9 19.3
2000 649 37.0 17.5 24.7
2001 677 45.0 15.0 20.5
2002 696 45.0 15.5 29.6
2003 696 45.0 15.5 29.6
2004 679 45.0 15.1 29
2005 706 45.0 15.7 29.2
2006 727 46.0 15.8 34.1
2007 735 n/a n/a 33.6
2008 737 43.1 17.1 37.5
2009 746 43.2 17.3 34.3
2010 697 38.9 17.9 39.3
2011 717 38.3 18.7 42.5
2012 702 38.2 18.3 46.3
2013 691 38.0 18.1 52.2
2014 710 39.1 18.1 50.6
2015 693 42.0 16.5 47.3
2016 671 38.0 17.6 50.5
2017 673 37.5 17.9 50.2
2018 636 37.8 16.7 49.2
2019 604 36.9 16.3 49
2020 549 34.0 16.1 47.9
2021 496 33.9 14.5 42.7
2022 526 32.5 16.1 44.5
2023 527 33.5 15.7 55.8

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 Blackburn Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $979 (10.8%) $8,112 (89.2%) $9,091

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Blackburn 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 557th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 547th of 1502 Elementary schools
 1.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Blackburn Elementary)67.170.3
 3.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Catawba County Schools)63.665
 1.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Blackburn Elementary)6051.4
 8.6%
   3rd Grade Reading (Catawba County Schools)54.142.5
 11.6%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Blackburn Elementary)67.969.7
 1.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Catawba County Schools)58.858.5
 0.3%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Blackburn Elementary)56.450
 6.4%
   4th Grade Reading (Catawba County Schools)59.255.9
 3.3%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Blackburn Elementary)5343
 10%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Catawba County Schools)61.759.3
 2.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Blackburn Elementary)5940.5
 18.5%
   5th Grade Reading (Catawba County Schools)58.747.3
 11.4%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Blackburn Elementary)7174.7
 3.7%
   5th Grade Science (Catawba County Schools)80.368.8
 11.5%
   5th Grade Science (North Carolina)72.665.3
 7.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Blackburn Elementary)69.867.4
 2.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Catawba County Schools)67.564.7
 2.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (Blackburn Elementary)71.762.9
 8.8%
   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 Students604527
 12.7%
African American3029
 3.3%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian6266
 6.5%
Hispanic7785
 10.4%
Pacific Islander32
 33.3%
White398306
 23.1%
Two or More Races3339
 18.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients49%55.8%
 6.8%


Schools Near Blackburn Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Blackburn Elementary

Blackburn Elementary ranks 519th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 527 students attended Blackburn Elementary.

Students at Blackburn Elementary are 58% White, 16% Hispanic, 13% Asian, 7% Two or more races, 6% African American.

Students who attend Blackburn Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Jacobs Fork Middle
High : Fred T Foard High


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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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