Mills River Elementary

Summary:

Mills River Elementary is a public elementary school in Mills River, North Carolina, serving 589 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Henderson County Schools district, which is ranked 83 out of 242 districts in the state.

Mills River Elementary consistently ranks among the top 15% of elementary schools in North Carolina, with strong academic performance that exceeds district and state averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 79% of 3rd graders were proficient or better in Math, compared to 67% for the district and 62.7% for the state. The school's Science scores are also impressive, with 87.4% of 5th graders proficient or better, compared to 70.4% for the district and 66.2% for the state. This consistent academic excellence suggests a well-rounded and effective educational program.

Demographically, Mills River Elementary has a higher percentage of White students (82.68%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 41.21% to 83.03% White students. The school also has a lower percentage of free and reduced lunch recipients (36.16%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 32.12% to 68.86%. Additionally, Mills River Elementary has a lower student-teacher ratio of 14.8, compared to nearby schools that range from 12.8 to 15.8. These factors suggest that the school may have access to more resources and smaller class sizes, which could contribute to its academic success. However, it's important to note that the nearby schools, while not performing as highly, serve more diverse student populations and higher percentages of economically disadvantaged students, which can present additional challenges.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 94 School House Road
       Mills River, NC  28759


(828) 891-6563

District: Henderson County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
208th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,074 Help


Students who attend Mills River Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Rugby Middle
High:    Henderson County Early College
    West Henderson High

Student/teacher ratio:  14.8 Help
Number of students:  589

Racial breakdown:

White:
82.7%
Hispanic:
10.2%
Two or more races:
4.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  36.2% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Mills River Elementary ranks better than 86.2% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 3rd among 13 ranked elementary schools in the Henderson County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 82.68. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Mills River Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Henderson County Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (82.7%), Hispanic (10.2%), two or more races (4.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 36.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mills River Elementary is 14.8. 9 elementary schools in the Henderson County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Mills River Elementary employs 39.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mills River Elementary is $9,074. 11 elementary schools in the Henderson County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Mills River Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Mills River Elementary 208th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Mills River 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:


Henderson County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Henderson County Schools 83rd of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Mills River Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Mills River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 87.00 81st 1276 93.7%
2007 86.56 69th 1293 94.7%
2008 87.99 89th 1324 93.3%
2009 88.18 73rd 1354 94.6%
2010 81.42 171st 1363 87.5%
2011 77.05 248th 1381 82.0%
2012 70.44 397th 1388 71.4%
2013 82.61 195th 1403 86.1%
2014 78.68 259th 1390 81.4%
2015 77.73 277th 1440 80.8%
2016 89.46 95th 1425 93.3%
2017 87.36 120th 1429 91.6%
2018 87.09 136th 1434 90.5%
2019 87.31 139th 1473 90.6%
2021 83.85 199th 1489 86.6%
2022 84.61 187th 1514 87.6%
2023 84.57 171st 1502 88.6%
2024 82.68 208th 1505 86.2%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Mills River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 73.19 108th 801 86.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Mills River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.15 165th 1332 87.6%
2019 81.13 146th 1361 89.3%
2021 71.36 239th 1329 82.0%
2022 78.25 166th 1366 87.8%
2023 70.52 313th 1437 78.2%
2024 75.04 234th 1450 83.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Mills River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.01 204th 1405 85.5%
2019 85.95 126th 1424 91.2%
2021 79.83 226th 1440 84.3%
2022 81.74 205th 1458 85.9%
2023 84.84 153rd 1459 89.5%
2024 84.16 164th 1455 88.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Mills River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.99 346th 897 61.4%
2019 64.40 202nd 878 77.0%
2021 51.54 237th 646 63.3%
2022 54.57 209th 634 67.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Mills River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 65.32 118th 612 80.7%
2021 77.01 22nd 494 95.5%
2022 58.40 259th 500 48.2%
2023 68.21 65th 582 88.8%
2024 63.59 236th 669 64.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Mills River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 90.20 89th 1413 93.7%
2019 86.08 149th 1430 89.6%
2021 82.86 196th 1444 86.4%
2022 84.08 178th 1464 87.8%
2023 80.93 211th 1461 85.6%
2024 76.67 276th 1464 81.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Mills River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.46 204th 851 76.0%
2019 77.53 114th 865 86.8%
2022 56.14 328th 893 63.3%
2023 60.88 290th 915 68.3%
2024 53.68 410th 951 56.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Mills River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.71 183rd 1178 84.5%
2019 79.40 189th 1183 84.0%
2021 70.59 303rd 1172 74.1%
2022 74.97 258th 1194 78.4%
2023 73.36 274th 1183 76.8%
2024 69.91 325th 1166 72.1%
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.

Mills River 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 Mills River Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 532 18 8 0 0 n/a n/a 0 558
1989 555 16 5 4 0 n/a n/a 0 580
1990 576 18 6 2 0 n/a n/a 0 602
1991 596 17 4 3 0 n/a n/a 0 620
1992 586 16 3 2 0 n/a n/a 0 607
1993 609 11 4 5 0 n/a n/a 0 629
1994 539 10 3 2 0 n/a n/a 0 554
1995 624 10 2 3 1 n/a n/a 0 640
1996 624 10 2 3 1 n/a n/a 0 640
1997 678 11 2 3 1 n/a n/a 0 695
1998 652 12 2 6 3 n/a n/a -1 674
1999 664 18 4 8 4 n/a n/a 0 698
2000 435 6 3 6 1 n/a n/a 0 451
2001 386 8 4 8 0 n/a n/a 0 406
2002 393 9 3 8 1 n/a n/a 0 414
2003 393 9 3 8 1 n/a n/a 0 414
2004 394 17 5 6 1 n/a n/a 0 423
2005 401 11 3 7 1 n/a n/a 0 423
2006 416 14 3 10 1 n/a n/a 0 444
2007 421 1 6 16 1 n/a n/a 11 456
2008 431 2 6 14 1 n/a n/a 12 466
2009 400 20 8 19 1 n/a n/a 0 448
2010 505 36 11 46 0 n/a n/a 0 598
2011 506 8 12 45 0 1 12 0 584
2012 470 7 8 43 0 1 10 0 539
2013 464 6 6 42 0 2 15 0 535
2014 475 7 2 42 0 7 9 0 542
2015 454 6 2 55 0 9 11 0 537
2016 450 8 3 60 0 3 15 0 539
2017 447 10 5 63 1 4 20 0 550
2018 475 9 6 59 1 3 26 0 579
2019 484 6 4 54 1 5 25 0 579
2020 479 6 5 46 0 8 29 0 573
2021 458 7 6 47 0 6 25 0 549
2022 471 7 5 57 0 4 25 0 569
2023 487 9 5 60 1 1 26 0 589

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 Mills River Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 558 31.0 18.0 12.2
1989 580 31.0 18.7 20.9
1990 602 33.0 18.2 20.1
1991 620 33.0 18.7 19.5
1992 607 34.0 17.8 11.5
1993 629 31.0 20.3 13.8
1994 554 29.0 19.1 15.7
1995 640 31.0 20.6 15.2
1996 640 31.0 20.6 15.2
1997 695 33.0 21.1 13.8
1998 674 36.0 18.7 13.3
1999 698 36.0 19.4 21.8
2000 451 27.0 16.7 30.6
2001 406 27.0 15.0 32
2002 414 23.0 18.0 24.2
2003 414 23.0 18.0 24.2
2004 423 23.0 18.4 22.9
2005 423 23.0 18.4 25.1
2006 444 23.0 19.3 25
2007 456 n/a n/a 30.8
2008 466 28.1 16.6 28.9
2009 448 25.5 17.6 29.7
2010 598 35.9 16.6 36.6
2011 584 38.5 15.1 37.5
2012 539 35.0 15.4 39
2013 535 36.6 14.5 41.5
2014 542 37.2 14.5 38.4
2015 537 34.0 15.7 37.8
2016 539 34.0 15.8 39
2017 550 34.4 15.9 41.5
2018 579 36.7 15.7 37.8
2019 579 35.7 16.2 34.7
2020 573 35.2 16.2 35.3
2021 549 35.8 15.3 30.2
2022 569 38.1 14.9 29
2023 589 39.5 14.8 36.2

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 Mills River Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 558 31.0 18.0 12.2
1989 580 31.0 18.7 20.9
1990 602 33.0 18.2 20.1
1991 620 33.0 18.7 19.5
1992 607 34.0 17.8 11.5
1993 629 31.0 20.3 13.8
1994 554 29.0 19.1 15.7
1995 640 31.0 20.6 15.2
1996 640 31.0 20.6 15.2
1997 695 33.0 21.1 13.8
1998 674 36.0 18.7 13.3
1999 698 36.0 19.4 21.8
2000 451 27.0 16.7 30.6
2001 406 27.0 15.0 32
2002 414 23.0 18.0 24.2
2003 414 23.0 18.0 24.2
2004 423 23.0 18.4 22.9
2005 423 23.0 18.4 25.1
2006 444 23.0 19.3 25
2007 456 n/a n/a 30.8
2008 466 28.1 16.6 28.9
2009 448 25.5 17.6 29.7
2010 598 35.9 16.6 36.6
2011 584 38.5 15.1 37.5
2012 539 35.0 15.4 39
2013 535 36.6 14.5 41.5
2014 542 37.2 14.5 38.4
2015 537 34.0 15.7 37.8
2016 539 34.0 15.8 39
2017 550 34.4 15.9 41.5
2018 579 36.7 15.7 37.8
2019 579 35.7 16.2 34.7
2020 573 35.2 16.2 35.3
2021 549 35.8 15.3 30.2
2022 569 38.1 14.9 29
2023 589 39.5 14.8 36.2

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 Mills River Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $912 (10.1%) $8,162 (89.9%) $9,074

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Mills River 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 139th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 171st of 1502 Elementary schools
 1.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mills River Elementary)87.479.4
 8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Henderson County Schools)72.669
 3.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Mills River Elementary)71.661.9
 9.7%
   3rd Grade Reading (Henderson County Schools)62.655.4
 7.2%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mills River Elementary)7567.7
 7.3%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Henderson County Schools)66.957
 9.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Mills River Elementary)79.269.9
 9.3%
   4th Grade Reading (Henderson County Schools)67.257.5
 9.7%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Mills River Elementary)79.478.1
 1.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Henderson County Schools)62.359.6
 2.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Mills River Elementary)73.562.9
 10.6%
   5th Grade Reading (Henderson County Schools)61.150.4
 10.7%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Mills River Elementary)87.389.5
 2.2%
   5th Grade Science (Henderson County Schools)81.770.3
 11.4%
   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 Students579589
 1.7%
African American69
 50%
American Indian11
Asian45
 25%
Hispanic5460
 11.1%
Pacific Islander51
 80%
White484487
 0.6%
Two or More Races2526
 4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients34.7%36.2%
 1.4%


Schools Near Mills River Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Mills River Elementary

Mills River Elementary ranks 208th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 589 students attended Mills River Elementary.

Students at Mills River Elementary are 83% White, 10% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% African American.

Students who attend Mills River Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Rugby Middle
High : Henderson County Early College
High : West Henderson 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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