The Downtown School

Summary:

The Downtown School is a public magnet elementary school serving grades PK-8 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with a diverse student population and a consistent track record of academic excellence.

The Downtown School consistently outperforms the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools district and the state of North Carolina in academic proficiency across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 84.1% of 5th-grade students were proficient or better in EOG/Mathematics, compared to 55% for the district and 58.1% for the state. The school's performance is particularly strong among specific student subgroups, ranking 160 out of 924 North Carolina elementary schools for African American students and 213 out of 1,166 for White students in EOG/Mathematics. Additionally, The Downtown School has a relatively low percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients at 26.16%, compared to the high-poverty nearby schools like Forest Park Elementary (99.41%) and Diggs-Latham Elementary (99.28%), and a lower student-teacher ratio of 11.6, compared to the district average of 13.6.

The Downtown School's consistent high performance, with a statewide ranking between 45 and 354 out of over 1,400 North Carolina elementary schools since the 2013-2014 school year, is a testament to the school's effective teaching practices and the dedication of its staff. While the school has a relatively low percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, it still maintains a diverse student population, suggesting that it is able to provide a high-quality education to students from various socioeconomic backgrounds. This success stands in stark contrast to the nearby high-poverty schools, highlighting the importance of equitable funding and resources for schools serving disadvantaged communities. However, the school's performance in the Gifted and Talented student subgroup has been more mixed, suggesting that it may need to further strengthen its programs and support for its highest-achieving students.


Detail:

Public, Magnet PK, KG-8

 601 N Cherry Street
       Winston Salem, NC  27101-2939


(336) 703-4125

District: Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
239th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,387 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  11.6 Help
Number of students:  409

Racial breakdown:

White:
47.2%
African American:
35.7%
Hispanic:
8.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  26.2% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

 Compare The Downtown School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details The Downtown School ranks better than 84.1% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 11th among 42 ranked elementary schools in the Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 80.23. (See more...)
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Compare Details The Downtown School ranks better than 81% of middle schools in North Carolina. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 77.15. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (47.2%), African American (35.7%), Hispanic (8.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 26.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at The Downtown School is 11.6, which is the 5th best among 42 elementary schools in the Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare The Downtown School employs 35 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at The Downtown School is $11,387, which is the 11th highest among 42 elementary schools in the Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

The Downtown School:

SchoolDigger ranks The Downtown School 239th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See The Downtown School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks The Downtown School 151st of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See The Downtown School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
White students:


Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools 164th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for The Downtown School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at The Downtown School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 87.63 71st 1276 94.4%
2007 85.98 81st 1293 93.7%
2008 88.82 77th 1324 94.2%
2009 85.19 124th 1354 90.8%
2010 86.90 92nd 1363 93.3%
2011 86.60 101st 1381 92.7%
2012 85.03 110th 1388 92.1%
2013 87.62 132nd 1403 90.6%
2014 91.72 80th 1390 94.2%
2015 93.44 45th 1440 96.9%
2016 86.87 129th 1425 90.9%
2017 78.37 253rd 1429 82.3%
2018 74.11 325th 1434 77.3%
2019 83.72 182nd 1473 87.6%
2021 72.85 354th 1489 76.2%
2022 76.52 307th 1514 79.7%
2023 84.75 169th 1502 88.7%
2024 80.23 239th 1505 84.1%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at The Downtown School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.62 609th 1332 54.3%
2019 87.31 78th 1361 94.3%
2022 60.70 434th 1366 68.2%
2023 84.93 94th 1437 93.5%
2024 64.21 413th 1450 71.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at The Downtown School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.55 311th 1405 77.9%
2019 79.33 222nd 1424 84.4%
2021 65.43 424th 1440 70.6%
2022 71.83 346th 1458 76.3%
2023 80.00 214th 1459 85.3%
2024 80.09 214th 1455 85.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Gifted and Talented students at The Downtown School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.12 41st 69 40.6%
2019 56.58 357th 612 41.7%
2023 68.28 47th 582 91.9%
2024 53.67 407th 669 39.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at The Downtown School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.73 361st 1413 74.5%
2019 84.79 163rd 1430 88.6%
2021 78.71 255th 1444 82.3%
2022 77.34 274th 1464 81.3%
2023 84.97 152nd 1461 89.6%
2024 75.54 294th 1464 79.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at The Downtown School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.14 272nd 927 70.7%
2019 79.25 110th 949 88.4%
2021 69.52 152nd 896 83.0%
2022 78.59 108th 927 88.3%
2023 74.99 155th 933 83.4%
2024 73.14 160th 924 82.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at The Downtown School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.46 260th 1178 77.9%
2019 84.70 117th 1183 90.1%
2021 74.82 254th 1172 78.3%
2022 74.59 263rd 1194 78.0%
2023 78.75 199th 1183 83.2%
2024 78.72 213th 1166 81.7%
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

Rank History for The Downtown School

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Rank History for all middle school students at The Downtown School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2012 84.43 48th 662 92.7%
2013 94.07 32nd 673 95.2%
2014 98.28 8th 627 98.7%
2015 91.04 42nd 705 94.0%
2016 93.97 27th 692 96.1%
2017 93.54 26th 694 96.3%
2018 84.15 80th 691 88.4%
2019 90.03 47th 737 93.6%
2021 85.65 80th 741 89.2%
2022 87.94 80th 786 89.8%
2023 90.34 64th 784 91.8%
2024 77.15 151st 793 81.0%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at The Downtown School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 47.78 189th 473 60.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at The Downtown School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.38 120th 604 80.1%
2019 90.04 27th 639 95.8%
2022 88.02 38th 689 94.5%
2023 84.92 56th 735 92.4%
2024 67.24 179th 743 75.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at The Downtown School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.01 55th 656 91.6%
2019 85.50 65th 684 90.5%
2021 83.89 82nd 706 88.4%
2022 85.00 86th 733 88.3%
2023 89.04 61st 731 91.7%
2024 75.16 153rd 738 79.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Gifted and Talented students at The Downtown School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.15 91st 127 28.3%
2019 63.56 151st 416 63.7%
2021 60.32 208th 448 53.6%
2022 70.74 70th 450 84.4%
2023 76.65 22nd 452 95.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at The Downtown School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.68 126th 665 81.1%
2019 92.57 34th 697 95.1%
2021 85.22 79th 711 88.9%
2022 89.22 66th 748 91.2%
2023 88.05 73rd 747 90.2%
2024 76.49 151st 751 79.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at The Downtown School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 86.27 39th 494 92.1%
2019 92.06 30th 519 94.2%
2021 79.82 56th 533 89.5%
2022 86.64 51st 550 90.7%
2023 86.82 47th 559 91.6%
2024 74.61 95th 560 83.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at The Downtown School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.21 86th 596 85.6%
2019 92.89 24th 624 96.2%
2021 85.60 77th 632 87.8%
2022 93.23 29th 658 95.6%
2023 92.56 26th 656 96.0%
2024 75.34 145th 652 77.8%
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.

The Downtown School 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 The Downtown School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1992 62 54 3 0 0 n/a n/a 0 119
1993 113 89 5 1 1 n/a n/a 15 224
1994 142 107 4 0 1 n/a n/a 0 254
1995 196 131 2 1 0 n/a n/a 0 330
1996 196 131 2 1 0 n/a n/a 0 330
1997 198 126 1 3 0 n/a n/a 0 328
1998 192 135 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 331
1999 187 137 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 327
2000 184 138 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 326
2001 169 147 0 6 0 n/a n/a 0 322
2002 144 147 4 5 0 n/a n/a 0 300
2003 144 147 4 5 0 n/a n/a 0 300
2004 147 149 4 5 0 n/a n/a 0 305
2005 145 141 6 4 0 n/a n/a 0 296
2006 161 145 8 5 1 n/a n/a 0 320
2007 165 130 12 6 2 n/a n/a 8 323
2008 164 124 15 6 1 n/a n/a 13 323
2009 133 108 14 7 1 n/a n/a 0 263
2010 172 108 21 10 2 n/a n/a 0 313
2011 197 122 17 14 2 0 12 0 364
2012 204 128 19 17 1 0 12 0 381
2013 220 139 17 17 1 0 11 0 405
2014 213 130 16 15 1 0 10 0 385
2015 237 130 15 18 0 1 14 0 415
2016 230 131 13 19 1 1 17 0 412
2017 227 138 11 20 1 3 25 0 425
2018 219 140 10 24 1 4 28 0 426
2019 201 160 9 24 1 4 26 0 425
2020 192 158 8 29 1 4 31 0 423
2021 187 153 8 30 1 4 24 0 407
2022 182 155 7 28 1 3 26 0 402
2023 193 146 5 35 1 3 26 0 409

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 The Downtown School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1992 119 15.0 7.9 n/a
1993 224 17.0 13.2 1.9
1994 254 22.0 11.5 1.2
1995 330 30.0 11.0 3
1996 330 30.0 11.0 3
1997 328 29.0 11.3 5.5
1998 331 28.0 11.8 6
1999 327 28.0 11.7 6.1
2000 326 28.0 11.6 7.4
2001 322 28.0 11.5 7.5
2002 300 28.0 10.7 9
2003 300 28.0 10.7 9
2004 305 28.0 10.9 10.5
2005 296 28.0 10.6 10.8
2006 320 28.0 11.4 10.6
2007 323 n/a n/a 9.5
2008 323 22.9 14.1 8.4
2009 263 24.0 11.0 7.6
2010 313 23.2 13.6 8.6
2011 364 25.8 14.1 9.6
2012 381 29.1 13.0 11.3
2013 405 33.3 12.1 11.4
2014 385 34.7 11.0 13
2015 415 34.0 12.2 12.5
2016 412 35.0 11.7 13.1
2017 425 33.6 12.6 14.6
2018 426 34.5 12.3 15.7
2019 425 35.0 12.1 15.8
2020 423 34.9 12.0 16.3
2021 407 34.0 11.9 17.7
2022 402 34.1 11.7 20.6
2023 409 35.0 11.6 26.2

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 The Downtown School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1992 119 15.0 7.9 n/a
1993 224 17.0 13.2 1.9
1994 254 22.0 11.5 1.2
1995 330 30.0 11.0 3
1996 330 30.0 11.0 3
1997 328 29.0 11.3 5.5
1998 331 28.0 11.8 6
1999 327 28.0 11.7 6.1
2000 326 28.0 11.6 7.4
2001 322 28.0 11.5 7.5
2002 300 28.0 10.7 9
2003 300 28.0 10.7 9
2004 305 28.0 10.9 10.5
2005 296 28.0 10.6 10.8
2006 320 28.0 11.4 10.6
2007 323 n/a n/a 9.5
2008 323 22.9 14.1 8.4
2009 263 24.0 11.0 7.6
2010 313 23.2 13.6 8.6
2011 364 25.8 14.1 9.6
2012 381 29.1 13.0 11.3
2013 405 33.3 12.1 11.4
2014 385 34.7 11.0 13
2015 415 34.0 12.2 12.5
2016 412 35.0 11.7 13.1
2017 425 33.6 12.6 14.6
2018 426 34.5 12.3 15.7
2019 425 35.0 12.1 15.8
2020 423 34.9 12.0 16.3
2021 407 34.0 11.9 17.7
2022 402 34.1 11.7 20.6
2023 409 35.0 11.6 26.2

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 The Downtown School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $620 (5.4%) $10,767 (94.6%) $11,387

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

Impact of COVID-19 on The Downtown School

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 182nd of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 169th of 1502 Elementary schools
 1.1%
Ranks 47th of 737 Middle schoolsRanks 64th of 784 Middle schools
 1.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (The Downtown School)73.879.5
 5.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)59.258.8
 0.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (The Downtown School)6984.1
 15.1%
   3rd Grade Reading (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)51.745.1
 6.6%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (The Downtown School)71.175
 3.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)53.852.3
 1.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (The Downtown School)84.488.6
 4.2%
   4th Grade Reading (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)56.452.2
 4.2%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (The Downtown School)71.168.9
 2.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)56.751.4
 5.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (The Downtown School)8053.3
 26.7%
   5th Grade Reading (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)52.743.2
 9.5%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (The Downtown School)86.771.1
 15.6%
   5th Grade Science (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)69.861.4
 8.4%
   5th Grade Science (North Carolina)72.665.3
 7.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (The Downtown School)7579.5
 4.5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)52.741.7
 11%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (The Downtown School)79.575
 4.5%
   6th Grade Reading (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)54.840
 14.8%
   6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)6049.3
 10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (The Downtown School)77.865.7
 12.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)5340.8
 12.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.450.1
 8.3%
7th Grade Reading (The Downtown School)8065.7
 14.3%
   7th Grade Reading (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)57.741.7
 16%
   7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)58.850.2
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (The Downtown School)88.481.8
 6.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)50.737.9
 12.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)52.644.8
 7.8%
8th Grade Reading (The Downtown School)81.477.3
 4.1%
   8th Grade Reading (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)5645.8
 10.2%
   8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)55.651
 4.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students425409
 3.8%
African American160146
 8.8%
American Indian11
Asian95
 44.4%
Hispanic2435
 45.8%
Pacific Islander43
 25%
White201193
 4%
Two or More Races2626
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients15.8%26.2%
 10.4%


Schools Near The Downtown School









Frequently Asked Questions about The Downtown School

In the 2022-23 school year, 409 students attended The Downtown School.

Students at The Downtown School are 47% White, 36% African American, 9% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

The Downtown School ranks 239th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 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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