Sterling Elementary

Summary:

Sterling Elementary is a public elementary school located in Pineville, North Carolina, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 695. The school is part of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district, which is ranked 140 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sterling Elementary faces significant challenges compared to nearby schools. The school has a much higher percentage of Hispanic students (70.07%) and a lower percentage of White students (3.02%) than the surrounding schools. Academically, Sterling Elementary consistently underperforms the district and state, with only 17% of 3rd-grade students proficient or better in reading, compared to 47.5% in the district and 48.7% statewide. Additionally, over 99% of Sterling Elementary students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage. As a result, the school has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of North Carolina elementary schools, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Sterling Elementary struggles, some nearby schools, such as McAlpine Elementary and Beverly Woods Elementary, perform significantly better, with much higher test scores and state rankings. This suggests that the challenges faced by Sterling Elementary may be unique to the school and not necessarily reflective of the broader Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district or region.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 9601 China Grove Church Rd
       Pineville, NC  28134-9483


(980) 343-3636

District: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
1435th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,335 Help


Students who attend Sterling Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Quail Hollow Middle
High:    South Mecklenburg High School

Student/teacher ratio:  17.8 Help
Number of students:  711

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
72.7%
African American:
21.2%
White:
2.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.6% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

 Compare Sterling Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Sterling Elementary ranks worse than 95.3% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 101st among 109 ranked elementary schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 8.6. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (72.7%), African American (21.2%), White (2.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 99.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sterling Elementary is 17.8. 101 elementary schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Sterling Elementary employs 39.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sterling Elementary is $10,335, which is the 47th highest among 109 elementary schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sterling Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Sterling Elementary 1435th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Sterling Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:


Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools 140th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Sterling Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 32.44 972nd 1276 23.8%
2007 22.72 1112th 1293 14.0%
2008 14.35 1194th 1324 9.8%
2009 40.77 907th 1354 33.0%
2010 41.10 919th 1363 32.6%
2011 58.36 642nd 1381 53.5%
2012 17.12 1249th 1388 10.0%
2013 11.95 1306th 1403 6.9%
2014 5.50 1346th 1390 3.2%
2015 4.80 1407th 1440 2.3%
2016 6.50 1375th 1425 3.5%
2017 9.06 1341st 1429 6.2%
2018 12.21 1310th 1434 8.6%
2019 9.86 1382nd 1473 6.2%
2021 7.86 1436th 1489 3.6%
2022 4.49 1498th 1514 1.1%
2023 6.87 1450th 1502 3.5%
2024 8.60 1435th 1505 4.7%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.37 350th 421 16.9%
2019 23.33 447th 497 10.1%
2021 21.67 348th 385 9.6%
2022 12.52 480th 485 1.0%
2023 23.51 437th 514 15.0%
2024 30.77 410th 533 23.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 13.50 789th 801 1.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.75 994th 1332 25.4%
2019 30.11 1049th 1361 22.9%
2021 19.98 1144th 1329 13.9%
2022 12.21 1319th 1366 3.4%
2023 12.56 1370th 1437 4.7%
2024 16.83 1330th 1450 8.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.16 1329th 1405 5.4%
2019 8.79 1368th 1424 3.9%
2021 6.10 1425th 1440 1.0%
2022 4.72 1451st 1458 0.5%
2023 6.28 1428th 1459 2.1%
2024 7.31 1420th 1455 2.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.03 1241st 1413 12.2%
2019 14.39 1301st 1430 9.0%
2021 12.34 1318th 1444 8.7%
2022 5.44 1440th 1464 1.6%
2023 8.99 1399th 1461 4.2%
2024 12.30 1371st 1464 6.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.24 555th 927 40.1%
2019 37.50 625th 949 34.1%
2022 18.01 852nd 927 8.1%
2023 17.46 860th 933 7.8%
2024 25.43 767th 924 17.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.36 764th 851 10.2%
2019 17.49 811th 865 6.2%
2021 18.71 766th 843 9.1%
2022 8.28 888th 893 0.6%
2023 13.67 878th 915 4.0%
2024 17.41 883rd 951 7.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic 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.

Sterling 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 Sterling Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 381 215 7 1 1 n/a n/a 0 605
1989 391 227 9 1 1 n/a n/a 0 629
1990 421 207 8 2 1 n/a n/a 0 639
1991 459 208 13 1 2 n/a n/a 0 683
1992 461 202 18 5 3 n/a n/a 0 689
1993 470 147 22 7 3 n/a n/a 0 649
1994 419 153 22 7 2 n/a n/a 0 603
1995 466 105 27 16 3 n/a n/a 0 617
1996 466 105 27 16 3 n/a n/a 0 617
1997 383 188 34 40 4 n/a n/a 0 649
1998 172 233 23 35 2 n/a n/a 0 465
1999 143 259 16 65 1 n/a n/a 0 484
2000 117 276 14 83 7 n/a n/a 0 497
2001 90 252 11 109 4 n/a n/a 0 466
2002 37 280 4 112 9 n/a n/a 0 442
2003 37 280 4 112 9 n/a n/a 0 442
2004 22 304 1 102 6 n/a n/a 0 435
2005 21 286 2 118 4 n/a n/a 0 431
2006 23 332 2 92 4 n/a n/a 0 453
2007 21 395 3 139 3 n/a n/a 19 580
2008 21 352 2 182 4 n/a n/a 28 589
2009 18 322 10 180 4 n/a n/a 0 534
2010 11 278 3 172 8 n/a n/a 0 472
2011 19 250 5 203 3 0 28 0 508
2012 16 302 1 221 6 0 1 0 547
2013 11 303 2 228 2 0 10 0 556
2014 16 300 1 281 1 0 16 0 615
2015 20 311 6 343 3 0 10 0 693
2016 19 256 7 351 0 0 6 0 639
2017 14 238 7 376 3 0 10 0 648
2018 11 193 6 409 2 0 10 0 631
2019 11 197 6 416 1 0 6 0 637
2020 10 215 7 545 1 1 9 0 788
2021 18 207 9 499 1 2 8 0 744
2022 15 179 6 479 1 1 17 0 698
2023 21 170 1 487 1 0 15 0 695
2024 18 151 6 517 5 0 14 0 711

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 Sterling Elementary

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 605 27.0 22.4 16
1989 629 34.0 18.5 23.4
1990 639 32.0 19.9 22.8
1991 683 35.0 19.5 21.4
1992 689 35.0 19.6 12.9
1993 649 31.0 20.9 19.1
1994 603 30.0 20.1 15.3
1995 617 31.0 19.9 10.2
1996 617 31.0 19.9 10.2
1997 649 34.0 19.1 10.6
1998 465 32.0 14.5 35.1
1999 484 32.0 15.1 59.5
2000 497 32.0 15.5 71.4
2001 466 32.0 14.6 79
2002 442 32.0 13.8 84.6
2003 442 32.0 13.8 84.6
2004 435 32.0 13.6 89.7
2005 431 32.0 13.5 90.3
2006 453 32.0 14.2 81.9
2007 580 n/a n/a 79.1
2008 589 44.0 13.4 88.2
2009 534 44.0 12.1 80.9
2010 472 35.3 13.3 90
2011 508 35.3 14.3 92.7
2012 547 36.7 14.8 89.2
2013 556 40.0 13.8 97.1
2014 615 38.2 16.0 92.2
2015 693 41.0 16.9 99.6
2016 639 43.0 14.8 98.7
2017 648 38.4 16.8 99.5
2018 631 41.4 15.2 99.4
2019 637 42.8 14.8 99.5
2020 788 48.1 16.3 99.6
2021 744 50.2 14.8 99.6
2022 698 49.0 14.2 99.6
2023 695 46.3 15.0 99.6
2024 711 39.9 17.8 99.6

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 Sterling Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 605 27.0 22.4 16
1989 629 34.0 18.5 23.4
1990 639 32.0 19.9 22.8
1991 683 35.0 19.5 21.4
1992 689 35.0 19.6 12.9
1993 649 31.0 20.9 19.1
1994 603 30.0 20.1 15.3
1995 617 31.0 19.9 10.2
1996 617 31.0 19.9 10.2
1997 649 34.0 19.1 10.6
1998 465 32.0 14.5 35.1
1999 484 32.0 15.1 59.5
2000 497 32.0 15.5 71.4
2001 466 32.0 14.6 79
2002 442 32.0 13.8 84.6
2003 442 32.0 13.8 84.6
2004 435 32.0 13.6 89.7
2005 431 32.0 13.5 90.3
2006 453 32.0 14.2 81.9
2007 580 n/a n/a 79.1
2008 589 44.0 13.4 88.2
2009 534 44.0 12.1 80.9
2010 472 35.3 13.3 90
2011 508 35.3 14.3 92.7
2012 547 36.7 14.8 89.2
2013 556 40.0 13.8 97.1
2014 615 38.2 16.0 92.2
2015 693 41.0 16.9 99.6
2016 639 43.0 14.8 98.7
2017 648 38.4 16.8 99.5
2018 631 41.4 15.2 99.4
2019 637 42.8 14.8 99.5
2020 788 48.1 16.3 99.6
2021 744 50.2 14.8 99.6
2022 698 49.0 14.2 99.6
2023 695 46.3 15.0 99.6
2024 711 39.9 17.8 99.6

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 Sterling Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,245 (12.0%) $9,090 (88.0%) $10,335

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Sterling 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 1382nd of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 1450th of 1502 Elementary schools
 2.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Sterling Elementary)39.225.9
 13.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)69.661.3
 8.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Sterling Elementary)35.316.1
 19.2%
   3rd Grade Reading (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)57.346.4
 10.9%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Sterling Elementary)33.937
 3.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)63.255.2
 8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Sterling Elementary)26.427.2
 0.8%
   4th Grade Reading (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)52.551.5
 1%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Sterling Elementary)38.225.8
 12.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)65.457.9
 7.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Sterling Elementary)20.610.1
 10.5%
   5th Grade Reading (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)5045.8
 4.2%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Sterling Elementary)57.836
 21.8%
   5th Grade Science (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)72.862.2
 10.6%
   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 Students637695
 9.1%
African American197170
 13.7%
American Indian11
Asian61
 83.3%
Hispanic416487
 17.1%
Pacific Islander00
White1121
 90.9%
Two or More Races615
 150%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients99.5%99.6%
 0%


Schools Near Sterling Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Sterling Elementary

Students at Sterling Elementary are 73% Hispanic, 21% African American, 3% White, 2% Two or more races.

In the 2023-24 school year, 711 students attended Sterling Elementary.

Sterling Elementary ranks in the bottom 4.7% of North Carolina elementary schools.

Students who attend Sterling Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Quail Hollow Middle
High : South Mecklenburg High School


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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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