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Saluda Elementary School

Summary:

Saluda Elementary School is a public elementary school in Saluda, North Carolina, serving 146 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Polk County Schools district, which is ranked 30 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Saluda Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in North Carolina, with a statewide ranking between 50-217 over the past 10 years. The school has maintained a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past decade, indicating exceptional academic performance. Saluda Elementary outperforms the Polk County Schools district and the state of North Carolina in proficiency rates for EOG (End-of-Grade) tests in Mathematics, Reading, and Science across all grade levels. However, the school has a significantly higher percentage of White students (93.15%) compared to the surrounding schools and the state average, with a lower percentage of minority students.

Compared to nearby schools like Edneyville Elementary, Bruce Drysdale Elementary, and Atkinson Elementary, Saluda Elementary outperforms the majority in proficiency rates for EOG tests, particularly in Mathematics and Science. The school also has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch and a much lower student-teacher ratio, ranging from 9.7 to 10.8 over the past three school years.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 214 E Main Street
       Saluda, NC  28773-0127

(828) 894-1040

District: Polk County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
91st of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,956 Help


Students who attend Saluda Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Polk County Middle School
High:    Polk County High School

Student/teacher ratio:  9.0 Help
Number of students:  145

Racial breakdown:

White:
93.8%
Hispanic:
2.1%
Two or more races:
2.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  97.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Saluda Elementary School ranks better than 94% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks first among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Polk County Schools District! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 91.65. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (93.8%), Hispanic (2.1%), two or more races (2.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 97.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Saluda Elementary School is 9, which is the lowest among 4 elementary schools in the Polk County Schools District! (See more...)
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Compare Saluda Elementary School employs 16 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Saluda Elementary School is $13,956, which is the 2nd highest among 4 elementary schools in the Polk County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Saluda Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Saluda Elementary School 91st of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Saluda Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
White students:


Polk County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Polk County Schools 30th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Saluda Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Saluda Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 60.81 525th 1276 58.9%
2007 78.53 196th 1293 84.8%
2008 88.38 84th 1324 93.7%
2009 90.79 36th 1354 97.3%
2010 90.20 32nd 1363 97.7%
2011 88.25 64th 1381 95.4%
2012 88.09 64th 1388 95.4%
2013 85.12 155th 1403 89.0%
2014 86.25 148th 1390 89.4%
2015 92.97 50th 1440 96.5%
2016 87.31 122nd 1425 91.4%
2017 92.11 62nd 1429 95.7%
2018 87.98 120th 1434 91.6%
2019 87.78 124th 1473 91.6%
2021 94.47 65th 1489 95.6%
2022 91.02 98th 1514 93.5%
2023 80.91 217th 1502 85.6%
2024 91.65 91st 1505 94.0%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Saluda Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 91.04 66th 1405 95.3%
2019 82.39 177th 1424 87.6%
2021 94.27 51st 1440 96.5%
2022 88.18 116th 1458 92.0%
2023 86.26 132nd 1459 91.0%
2024 87.95 118th 1455 91.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Saluda Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 92.97 50th 1430 96.5%
2021 91.62 85th 1444 94.1%
2023 58.24 600th 1461 58.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Saluda Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.03 160th 1178 86.4%
2019 79.58 187th 1183 84.2%
2021 86.25 109th 1172 90.7%
2022 75.70 249th 1194 79.1%
2023 62.75 422nd 1183 64.3%
2024 75.20 255th 1166 78.1%
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.

Saluda Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Saluda Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 164 0 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 165
1989 180 1 0 0 0 n/a n/a 3 184
1990 181 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a -2 179
1991 179 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 179
1992 196 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a -2 194
1993 190 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 190
1994 215 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 215
1995 203 0 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 205
1996 203 0 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 205
1997 212 0 0 11 0 n/a n/a 0 223
1998 207 1 0 5 0 n/a n/a 2 215
1999 202 4 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 207
2000 223 5 0 6 0 n/a n/a 0 234
2001 221 5 0 20 0 n/a n/a 0 246
2002 229 5 0 12 0 n/a n/a 0 246
2003 229 5 0 12 0 n/a n/a 0 246
2004 208 6 0 8 0 n/a n/a 0 222
2005 187 9 0 14 0 n/a n/a 0 210
2006 210 5 0 5 0 n/a n/a 0 220
2007 168 0 0 4 0 n/a n/a 3 175
2008 160 0 0 4 0 n/a n/a 5 169
2009 138 6 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 148
2010 145 7 0 6 0 n/a n/a 0 158
2011 141 0 1 8 0 0 6 0 156
2012 129 0 0 9 0 0 10 0 148
2013 138 0 0 12 0 0 4 0 154
2014 126 0 0 10 0 0 4 0 140
2015 151 0 0 17 0 0 4 0 172
2016 169 0 0 8 0 0 4 0 181
2017 154 0 0 6 0 0 2 0 162
2018 155 1 0 8 0 0 6 0 170
2019 149 0 0 8 0 0 6 0 163
2020 145 0 0 8 0 0 5 0 158
2021 142 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 148
2022 147 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 152
2023 136 1 1 5 0 0 3 0 146
2024 136 2 1 3 0 0 3 0 145

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 Saluda Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 165 11.0 15.0 25.5
1989 184 11.0 16.7 32.6
1990 179 14.0 12.7 36.3
1991 179 17.0 10.5 36.3
1992 194 17.0 11.4 21.6
1993 190 15.0 12.7 35.3
1994 215 15.0 14.3 29.8
1995 205 17.0 12.1 33.7
1996 205 17.0 12.1 33.7
1997 223 19.0 11.7 26
1998 215 19.0 11.3 29.6
1999 207 18.0 11.5 41.5
2000 234 18.0 13.0 41
2001 246 18.0 13.7 47.2
2002 246 18.0 13.7 48.4
2003 246 18.0 13.7 48.4
2004 222 18.0 12.3 42.8
2005 210 18.0 11.7 47.1
2006 220 18.0 12.2 43.2
2007 175 n/a n/a 34.9
2008 169 13.9 12.2 43.3
2009 148 12.0 12.3 47.3
2010 158 12.0 13.3 53.8
2011 156 10.3 15.1 47.4
2012 148 9.9 14.8 58.1
2013 154 11.5 13.3 54.5
2014 140 11.1 12.5 64.3
2015 172 14.0 12.2 98.3
2016 181 14.0 12.9 97.8
2017 162 12.5 12.9 98.1
2018 170 14.1 11.9 98.2
2019 163 14.5 11.2 98.2
2020 158 14.5 10.8 39.9
2021 148 13.6 10.8 30.4
2022 152 13.9 10.8 31.6
2023 146 15.0 9.7 39.7
2024 145 16.0 9.0 97.9

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 Saluda Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 165 11.0 15.0 25.5
1989 184 11.0 16.7 32.6
1990 179 14.0 12.7 36.3
1991 179 17.0 10.5 36.3
1992 194 17.0 11.4 21.6
1993 190 15.0 12.7 35.3
1994 215 15.0 14.3 29.8
1995 205 17.0 12.1 33.7
1996 205 17.0 12.1 33.7
1997 223 19.0 11.7 26
1998 215 19.0 11.3 29.6
1999 207 18.0 11.5 41.5
2000 234 18.0 13.0 41
2001 246 18.0 13.7 47.2
2002 246 18.0 13.7 48.4
2003 246 18.0 13.7 48.4
2004 222 18.0 12.3 42.8
2005 210 18.0 11.7 47.1
2006 220 18.0 12.2 43.2
2007 175 n/a n/a 34.9
2008 169 13.9 12.2 43.3
2009 148 12.0 12.3 47.3
2010 158 12.0 13.3 53.8
2011 156 10.3 15.1 47.4
2012 148 9.9 14.8 58.1
2013 154 11.5 13.3 54.5
2014 140 11.1 12.5 64.3
2015 172 14.0 12.2 98.3
2016 181 14.0 12.9 97.8
2017 162 12.5 12.9 98.1
2018 170 14.1 11.9 98.2
2019 163 14.5 11.2 98.2
2020 158 14.5 10.8 39.9
2021 148 13.6 10.8 30.4
2022 152 13.9 10.8 31.6
2023 146 15.0 9.7 39.7
2024 145 16.0 9.0 97.9

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 Saluda Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,586 (11.4%) $12,371 (88.6%) $13,956

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Saluda Elementary 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 124th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 217th of 1502 Elementary schools
 6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Saluda Elementary School)81.588
 6.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Polk County Schools)79.878.2
 1.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Saluda Elementary School)77.860
 17.8%
   3rd Grade Reading (Polk County Schools)75.563.6
 11.9%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Saluda Elementary School)77.475
 2.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Polk County Schools)78.869.4
 9.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Saluda Elementary School)83.970.8
 13.1%
   4th Grade Reading (Polk County Schools)78.870.8
 8%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Saluda Elementary School)7060.9
 9.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Polk County Schools)72.375.8
 3.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Saluda Elementary School)8560.9
 24.1%
   5th Grade Reading (Polk County Schools)71.768.8
 2.9%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Saluda Elementary School)8578.3
 6.7%
   5th Grade Science (Polk County Schools)86.478.5
 7.9%
   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 Students163146
 10.4%
African American01
American Indian00
Asian01
Hispanic85
 37.5%
Pacific Islander00
White149136
 8.7%
Two or More Races63
 50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients98.2%39.7%
 58.4%

Schools Near Saluda Elementary School








Frequently Asked Questions about Saluda Elementary School

In the 2023-24 school year, 145 students attended Saluda Elementary School.

Yes. Saluda Elementary School ranks in the top 6.0% of North Carolina elementary schools.

Students who attend Saluda Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Polk County Middle School
High : Polk County High School

Students at Saluda Elementary School are 94% White, 2% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% African American.


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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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