St James Elementary

Summary:

St James Elementary is a public elementary school located in Denver, North Carolina, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 633 students. The school is part of the Lincoln County Schools district, which is ranked 66 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

St James Elementary has consistently ranked among the top elementary schools in North Carolina, with students outperforming state and district averages in mathematics, reading, and science. In the 2023-2024 school year, 69.9% of 3rd graders, 76.5% of 4th graders, and 68.8% of 5th graders were proficient or better in mathematics, compared to the state averages of 62.7%, 56.6%, and 58.1%, respectively. Similarly, in reading, 56.1% of 3rd graders, 66.1% of 4th graders, and 57.8% of 5th graders were proficient or better, compared to the state averages of 48.7%, 52.8%, and 50.3%. The school's 5th-grade science proficiency rate of 81.3% is significantly higher than the state average of 66.2%. St James Elementary outperforms many nearby schools, such as Iron Station Elementary, Pumpkin Center Intermediate, and Catawba Springs Elementary, in academic metrics.

While St James Elementary has a predominantly white student population, with 78.04% of students identifying as white, the school has shown strong performance across various student subgroups, including female students, male students, African American students, and students with disabilities. The school's ranking for African American students in the 2023-2024 school year was 155 out of 924 North Carolina elementary schools, and its ranking for students with disabilities was 63 out of 801 North Carolina elementary schools, indicating that the school is effectively serving these populations. However, the school's statewide ranking has declined from 65 in 2015-2016 to 302 in 2023-2024, suggesting that it may be facing increased competition from other top-performing schools in the state.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1774 St James Church Road
       Denver, NC  28037


(704) 736-1958

District: Lincoln County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
302nd of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,459 Help


Students who attend St James Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    East Lincoln Middle
High:    East Lincoln High

Student/teacher ratio:  16.7 Help
Number of students:  665

Racial breakdown:

White:
77.9%
Hispanic:
9.0%
Two or more races:
6.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  28.6% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details St James Elementary ranks better than 79.9% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 4th among 12 ranked elementary schools in the Lincoln County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 76.49. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details St James Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Lincoln County Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (77.9%), Hispanic (9%), two or more races (6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 28.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at St James Elementary is 16.7. 11 elementary schools in the Lincoln County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare St James Elementary employs 39.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at St James Elementary is $7,459, which is the lowest among 13 elementary schools in the Lincoln County Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

St James Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks St James Elementary 302nd of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See St James 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:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Lincoln County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Lincoln County Schools 66th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for St James Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at St James Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 81.36 155th 1276 87.9%
2007 83.78 106th 1293 91.8%
2008 84.36 129th 1324 90.3%
2009 82.37 161st 1354 88.1%
2010 86.67 96th 1363 93.0%
2011 86.66 97th 1381 93.0%
2012 83.08 145th 1388 89.6%
2013 87.76 129th 1403 90.8%
2014 91.83 77th 1390 94.5%
2015 88.68 108th 1440 92.5%
2016 91.65 65th 1425 95.4%
2017 90.73 81st 1429 94.3%
2018 91.24 78th 1434 94.6%
2019 89.69 99th 1473 93.3%
2021 92.40 88th 1489 94.1%
2022 87.81 134th 1514 91.1%
2023 80.97 215th 1502 85.7%
2024 76.49 302nd 1505 79.9%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at St James Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 82.68 63rd 801 92.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at St James Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.60 90th 1332 93.2%
2019 78.73 175th 1361 87.1%
2021 88.18 69th 1329 94.8%
2022 65.94 342nd 1366 75.0%
2023 69.42 328th 1437 77.2%
2024 49.06 724th 1450 50.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at St James Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 90.37 70th 1405 95.0%
2019 88.10 93rd 1424 93.5%
2021 93.18 68th 1440 95.3%
2022 84.95 156th 1458 89.3%
2023 78.92 229th 1459 84.3%
2024 69.79 370th 1455 74.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at St James Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 94.98 17th 897 98.1%
2019 90.52 33rd 878 96.2%
2021 72.41 88th 646 86.4%
2022 82.60 41st 634 93.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at St James Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 65.77 100th 612 83.7%
2021 68.65 130th 494 73.7%
2023 65.51 180th 582 69.1%
2024 57.72 347th 669 48.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at St James Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 88.45 114th 1413 91.9%
2019 85.66 152nd 1430 89.4%
2021 88.54 124th 1444 91.4%
2022 87.85 126th 1464 91.4%
2023 80.46 217th 1461 85.1%
2024 80.29 221st 1464 84.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at St James Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 73.71 155th 924 83.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at St James Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 85.23 69th 893 92.3%
2023 81.74 94th 915 89.7%
2024 55.39 383rd 951 59.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at St James Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.89 134th 1178 88.6%
2019 81.06 171st 1183 85.5%
2021 83.64 142nd 1172 87.9%
2022 79.32 197th 1194 83.5%
2023 70.76 309th 1183 73.9%
2024 65.65 371st 1166 68.2%
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.

St James Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for St James Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2004 303 34 0 9 0 n/a n/a 0 346
2005 332 36 0 13 0 n/a n/a 0 381
2006 390 36 1 21 0 n/a n/a 0 448
2007 421 31 8 16 1 n/a n/a 16 493
2008 474 26 3 19 1 n/a n/a 27 550
2009 470 47 3 21 3 n/a n/a 0 544
2010 494 43 9 28 3 n/a n/a 0 577
2011 470 24 10 37 3 0 18 0 562
2012 466 24 8 40 3 0 17 0 558
2013 466 21 11 32 3 0 14 0 547
2014 464 20 13 31 3 0 20 0 551
2015 467 17 11 31 1 0 16 0 543
2016 473 19 14 32 0 0 24 0 562
2017 490 21 10 38 0 0 32 0 591
2018 481 22 9 28 2 0 28 0 570
2019 507 16 10 36 2 0 27 0 598
2020 481 23 9 45 2 0 36 0 596
2021 452 26 7 48 1 0 33 0 567
2022 472 29 9 52 0 1 34 0 597
2023 494 34 12 57 2 0 34 0 633
2024 518 35 10 60 2 0 40 0 665

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 St James Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 346 23.0 15.0 24.9
2005 381 29.0 13.1 27.8
2006 448 25.0 17.9 25
2007 493 n/a n/a 25.8
2008 550 29.9 18.4 25.4
2009 544 32.9 16.5 26.8
2010 577 31.7 18.1 32.9
2011 562 34.0 16.4 33.1
2012 558 34.8 16.0 29.9
2013 547 33.8 16.1 29.6
2014 551 33.8 16.2 27.6
2015 543 34.0 15.9 28
2016 562 34.0 16.5 28.8
2017 591 33.4 17.6 24.9
2018 570 31.9 17.8 20.5
2019 598 32.9 18.1 20.1
2020 596 32.7 18.1 20.8
2021 567 34.5 16.4 15.5
2022 597 36.1 16.5 12.1
2023 633 36.7 17.2 26.7
2024 665 39.7 16.7 28.6

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 St James Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 346 23.0 15.0 24.9
2005 381 29.0 13.1 27.8
2006 448 25.0 17.9 25
2007 493 n/a n/a 25.8
2008 550 29.9 18.4 25.4
2009 544 32.9 16.5 26.8
2010 577 31.7 18.1 32.9
2011 562 34.0 16.4 33.1
2012 558 34.8 16.0 29.9
2013 547 33.8 16.1 29.6
2014 551 33.8 16.2 27.6
2015 543 34.0 15.9 28
2016 562 34.0 16.5 28.8
2017 591 33.4 17.6 24.9
2018 570 31.9 17.8 20.5
2019 598 32.9 18.1 20.1
2020 596 32.7 18.1 20.8
2021 567 34.5 16.4 15.5
2022 597 36.1 16.5 12.1
2023 633 36.7 17.2 26.7
2024 665 39.7 16.7 28.6

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 St James Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $375 (5.0%) $7,084 (95.0%) $7,459

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

Impact of COVID-19 on St James 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 99th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 215th of 1502 Elementary schools
 7.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (St James Elementary)78.369.8
 8.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Lincoln County Schools)7266.2
 5.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (St James Elementary)72.857.5
 15.3%
   3rd Grade Reading (Lincoln County Schools)62.852.3
 10.5%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (St James Elementary)7959.5
 19.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Lincoln County Schools)66.462.7
 3.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (St James Elementary)7969.8
 9.2%
   4th Grade Reading (Lincoln County Schools)6563.7
 1.3%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (St James Elementary)84.680
 4.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Lincoln County Schools)69.966.2
 3.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (St James Elementary)83.770.8
 12.9%
   5th Grade Reading (Lincoln County Schools)66.655.1
 11.5%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (St James Elementary)92.386.2
 6.1%
   5th Grade Science (Lincoln County Schools)8173.9
 7.1%
   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 Students598633
 5.9%
African American1634
 112.5%
American Indian22
Asian1012
 20%
Hispanic3657
 58.3%
Pacific Islander00
White507494
 2.6%
Two or More Races2734
 25.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients20.1%26.7%
 6.6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about St James Elementary

St James Elementary ranks 302nd of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 665 students attended St James Elementary.

Students who attend St James Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : East Lincoln Middle
High : East Lincoln High

Students at St James Elementary are 78% White, 9% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 5% African American, 2% Asian.


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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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