Poplin Elementary

Summary:

Poplin Elementary is a highly-rated public elementary school in Indian Trail, North Carolina, serving 720 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. As part of the Union County Public Schools district, Poplin Elementary consistently outperforms the district and state averages in academic achievement, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and ranking among the top 10% of elementary schools in North Carolina.

Poplin Elementary's academic performance is particularly impressive, with proficiency rates significantly higher than the district and state in Mathematics, Reading, and Science. For example, the school's 3rd-grade Mathematics proficiency rate was 89.1%, compared to 77.1% for the district and 62.7% for the state. Poplin Elementary also stands out for its strong performance among traditionally underserved student subgroups, with African American and Low Socioeconomic Status (SES) students ranking among the top in the state. However, the school's performance for Gifted and Talented and Special Education students is relatively lower, suggesting a need for more targeted support and resources for these groups.

Poplin Elementary's exceptional academic achievement is further highlighted by its proximity to several other high-performing elementary schools within the Union County Public Schools district, such as Unionville Elementary, Stallings Elementary, and Hemby Bridge Elementary. This clustering of high-performing schools in the area suggests a strong emphasis on education and a commitment to providing quality educational opportunities for students in the local community.


Detail:

Public K-5

 5627 Poplin Rd
       Indian Trail, NC  28079


(704) 296-0320

District: Union County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
119th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,772 Help


Students who attend Poplin Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Porter Ridge Middle School
High:    Porter Ridge High School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.6 Help
Number of students:  759

Racial breakdown:

White:
59.2%
Hispanic:
15.8%
African American:
13.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  34.1% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Poplin Elementary ranks better than 92.1% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 9th among 29 ranked elementary schools in the Union County Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 89.54. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Poplin Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (59.2%), Hispanic (15.8%), African American (13.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 34.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Poplin Elementary is 15.6. 18 elementary schools in the Union County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Poplin Elementary employs 48.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Poplin Elementary is $9,772, which is the 14th highest among 29 elementary schools in the Union County Public Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Poplin Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Poplin Elementary 119th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Poplin 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:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Union County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Union County Public Schools 53rd of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Poplin Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Poplin Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 82.62 147th 1363 89.2%
2011 81.33 184th 1381 86.7%
2012 80.77 189th 1388 86.4%
2013 87.26 136th 1403 90.3%
2014 89.33 113th 1390 91.9%
2015 92.38 61st 1440 95.8%
2016 89.86 86th 1425 94.0%
2017 88.35 105th 1429 92.7%
2018 87.69 126th 1434 91.2%
2019 92.24 64th 1473 95.7%
2021 90.97 107th 1489 92.8%
2022 92.10 88th 1514 94.2%
2023 88.94 123rd 1502 91.8%
2024 89.54 119th 1505 92.1%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Poplin Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 82.00 55th 533 89.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Poplin Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 54.83 271st 801 66.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Poplin Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.99 145th 1332 89.1%
2019 87.70 72nd 1361 94.7%
2021 88.02 71st 1329 94.7%
2022 93.62 28th 1366 98.0%
2023 89.57 59th 1437 95.9%
2024 87.08 71st 1450 95.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Poplin Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.79 175th 1405 87.5%
2019 91.20 62nd 1424 95.6%
2021 90.16 98th 1440 93.2%
2022 92.21 66th 1458 95.5%
2023 86.19 135th 1459 90.7%
2024 90.56 90th 1455 93.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Poplin Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.17 156th 897 82.6%
2022 83.37 39th 634 93.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Poplin Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 65.32 118th 612 80.7%
2021 60.42 238th 494 51.8%
2022 62.35 204th 500 59.2%
2023 61.91 240th 582 58.8%
2024 57.73 346th 669 48.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Poplin Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 88.93 102nd 1413 92.8%
2019 91.48 73rd 1430 94.9%
2021 88.41 127th 1444 91.2%
2022 88.63 116th 1464 92.1%
2023 88.69 112th 1461 92.3%
2024 85.35 157th 1464 89.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Poplin Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.58 71st 927 92.3%
2019 94.36 23rd 949 97.6%
2021 95.77 18th 896 98.0%
2022 92.24 31st 927 96.7%
2023 88.80 50th 933 94.6%
2024 87.85 49th 924 94.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Poplin Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.38 104th 851 87.8%
2019 91.54 30th 865 96.5%
2021 89.18 58th 843 93.1%
2022 86.84 61st 893 93.2%
2023 75.87 139th 915 84.8%
2024 81.75 106th 951 88.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Poplin Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.79 135th 1178 88.5%
2019 85.38 108th 1183 90.9%
2021 85.29 120th 1172 89.8%
2022 84.93 115th 1194 90.4%
2023 82.78 149th 1183 87.4%
2024 84.03 131st 1166 88.8%
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.

Poplin 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: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for Poplin Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2010 492 77 7 84 2 n/a n/a 0 662
2011 471 56 7 98 2 0 18 0 652
2012 464 51 11 99 3 0 23 0 651
2013 466 63 15 100 2 0 22 0 668
2014 468 67 12 107 1 1 21 0 677
2015 483 71 10 128 0 1 26 0 719
2016 529 81 16 140 0 0 27 0 793
2017 487 73 14 143 1 0 30 0 748
2018 488 76 18 141 1 0 28 0 752
2019 470 80 7 80 1 0 27 0 665
2020 457 90 9 81 3 0 23 0 663
2021 425 88 13 77 2 0 23 0 628
2022 432 93 13 94 5 0 33 0 670
2023 450 100 20 103 5 0 42 0 720
2024 449 101 28 120 6 1 54 0 759

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 Poplin Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 662 34.0 19.4 26
2011 652 37.8 17.2 24.7
2012 651 38.3 16.9 26.1
2013 668 37.0 18.0 29.5
2014 677 37.0 18.2 25.4
2015 719 41.0 17.5 29.2
2016 793 43.0 18.4 27.9
2017 748 45.0 16.6 29.4
2018 752 45.8 16.3 21.7
2019 665 45.0 14.7 18.5
2020 663 44.8 14.7 15.5
2021 628 42.3 14.8 15.3
2022 670 44.0 15.2 15.4
2023 720 42.5 16.9 35.7
2024 759 48.5 15.6 34.1

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 Poplin Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 662 34.0 19.4 26
2011 652 37.8 17.2 24.7
2012 651 38.3 16.9 26.1
2013 668 37.0 18.0 29.5
2014 677 37.0 18.2 25.4
2015 719 41.0 17.5 29.2
2016 793 43.0 18.4 27.9
2017 748 45.0 16.6 29.4
2018 752 45.8 16.3 21.7
2019 665 45.0 14.7 18.5
2020 663 44.8 14.7 15.5
2021 628 42.3 14.8 15.3
2022 670 44.0 15.2 15.4
2023 720 42.5 16.9 35.7
2024 759 48.5 15.6 34.1

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 Poplin Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $606 (6.2%) $9,166 (93.8%) $9,772

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Poplin 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 64th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 123rd of 1502 Elementary schools
 3.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Poplin Elementary)94.889.2
 5.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Union County Public Schools)77.477
 0.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Poplin Elementary)8169.2
 11.8%
   3rd Grade Reading (Union County Public Schools)67.559.9
 7.6%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Poplin Elementary)85.480.8
 4.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Union County Public Schools)75.375.7
 0.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Poplin Elementary)85.478.4
 7%
   4th Grade Reading (Union County Public Schools)72.668.3
 4.3%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Poplin Elementary)82.375.2
 7.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Union County Public Schools)77.875.6
 2.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Poplin Elementary)7563.2
 11.8%
   5th Grade Reading (Union County Public Schools)69.761.6
 8.1%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Poplin Elementary)88.781.2
 7.5%
   5th Grade Science (Union County Public Schools)84.978.4
 6.5%
   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 Students665720
 8.3%
African American80100
 25%
American Indian15
 400%
Asian720
 185.7%
Hispanic80103
 28.8%
Pacific Islander00
White470450
 4.3%
Two or More Races2742
 55.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients18.5%35.7%
 17.2%


Schools Near Poplin Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Poplin Elementary

Students who attend Poplin Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Porter Ridge Middle School
High : Porter Ridge High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 759 students attended Poplin Elementary.

Students at Poplin Elementary are 59% White, 16% Hispanic, 13% African American, 7% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

Yes. Poplin Elementary ranks in the top 7.9% of North Carolina elementary schools.


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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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