Adams Elementary

Summary:

Adams Elementary is a public elementary school in Cary, North Carolina, serving students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade as part of the Wake County Schools district. The school has a diverse student population, with a mix of racial backgrounds that has remained relatively consistent in recent years.

Academically, Adams Elementary has shown mixed performance compared to the district and state averages. While the school has outperformed in certain subject areas and grade levels, such as 5th-grade science, it has also struggled with the academic achievement of specific student subgroups, particularly Hispanic, English Language Learner, African American, and students with disabilities. The school's ranking and rating have fluctuated over the years, ranging from 133rd out of 1,390 North Carolina elementary schools in 2013-2014 to 565th out of 1,505 schools in 2023-2024.

When compared to nearby schools in the same district, Adams Elementary generally performs on par or slightly below schools like Cary Elementary, Farmington Woods Elementary, and Briarcliff Elementary. However, the school outperforms the nearby Mount Vernon school, which is ranked among the lowest in the state and has significantly lower proficiency rates across all subject areas and grade levels.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 805 Cary Towne Blvd
       Cary, NC  27511


(919) 460-3431

District: Wake County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
565th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,267 Help


Students who attend Adams Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    East Cary Middle
High:    Wake Early College of Health and Science
    Wake STEM Early College High School
    Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy
    Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy

Student/teacher ratio:  13.1 Help
Number of students:  525

Racial breakdown:

White:
44.0%
Hispanic:
24.2%
African American:
18.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  49.7% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

 Compare Adams Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Adams Elementary ranks better than 62.5% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 71st among 115 ranked elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 61.03. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Student population at Adams Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (44%), Hispanic (24.2%), African American (18.9%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 49.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Adams Elementary is 13.1, which is the 52nd best among 115 elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Adams Elementary employs 39.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Adams Elementary is $10,267, which is the 46th highest among 115 elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Adams Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Adams Elementary 565th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Adams 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:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Wake County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Wake County Schools 59th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Adams Elementary.

What do you think?

Your rating for Adams Elementary?

Rank History for Adams Elementary

Help
Compare

Rank History for all students at Adams Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 83.67 124th 1276 90.3%
2007 84.37 99th 1293 92.3%
2008 89.59 67th 1324 94.9%
2009 89.30 60th 1354 95.6%
2010 84.21 130th 1363 90.5%
2011 81.60 176th 1381 87.3%
2012 82.10 162nd 1388 88.3%
2013 89.69 111th 1403 92.1%
2014 87.42 133rd 1390 90.4%
2015 80.65 228th 1440 84.2%
2016 73.78 332nd 1425 76.7%
2017 61.89 538th 1429 62.4%
2018 53.40 690th 1434 51.9%
2019 58.14 614th 1473 58.3%
2021 63.57 508th 1489 65.9%
2022 67.25 446th 1514 70.5%
2023 74.46 334th 1502 77.8%
2024 61.03 565th 1505 62.5%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Adams Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.69 333rd 421 20.9%
2019 35.25 346th 497 30.4%
2021 42.00 185th 385 51.9%
2022 37.86 305th 485 37.1%
2023 46.16 241st 514 53.1%
2024 27.09 441st 533 17.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Adams Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 26.99 655th 801 18.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Adams Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.17 1196th 1332 10.2%
2019 31.31 1031st 1361 24.2%
2021 33.20 903rd 1329 32.1%
2022 56.87 523rd 1366 61.7%
2023 53.56 632nd 1437 56.0%
2024 50.07 694th 1450 52.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Adams Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.20 827th 1405 41.1%
2019 47.51 784th 1424 44.9%
2021 65.66 420th 1440 70.8%
2022 76.11 282nd 1458 80.7%
2023 79.98 215th 1459 85.3%
2024 58.65 563rd 1455 61.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Adams Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.87 867th 897 3.3%
2021 35.65 406th 646 37.2%
2022 43.53 296th 634 53.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Adams Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.18 31st 69 55.1%
2019 53.66 409th 612 33.2%
2021 57.22 267th 494 46.0%
2022 68.94 103rd 500 79.4%
2023 61.35 253rd 582 56.5%
2024 53.09 424th 669 36.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Adams Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.47 560th 1413 60.4%
2019 66.36 436th 1430 69.5%
2021 59.43 561st 1444 61.1%
2022 56.76 615th 1464 58.0%
2023 64.43 479th 1461 67.2%
2024 61.72 534th 1464 63.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Adams Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 54.85 65th 114 43.0%
2024 25.51 110th 130 15.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Adams Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.30 610th 927 34.2%
2019 39.48 605th 949 36.2%
2021 29.34 653rd 896 27.1%
2022 64.23 242nd 927 73.9%
2023 59.42 313th 933 66.5%
2024 58.42 317th 924 65.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Adams Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.71 762nd 851 10.5%
2019 36.95 580th 865 32.9%
2021 26.93 680th 843 19.3%
2022 30.36 697th 893 21.9%
2023 25.65 738th 915 19.3%
2024 22.62 834th 951 12.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Adams Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.83 295th 1178 75.0%
2019 71.02 301st 1183 74.6%
2021 79.28 203rd 1172 82.7%
2022 87.90 77th 1194 93.6%
2023 88.92 69th 1183 94.2%
2024 81.32 176th 1166 84.9%
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.

Adams Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Sunday, April 8, 2018

Open Quote Adams is a wonderful school with dedicated teachers and a great environment where all children can succeed! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Adams Elementary

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 465 147 16 3 2 n/a n/a 0 633
1989 458 154 11 3 3 n/a n/a 0 629
1990 462 88 16 4 5 n/a n/a 0 575
1991 445 103 19 15 4 n/a n/a 0 586
1992 461 89 30 15 3 n/a n/a 0 598
1993 464 113 20 16 3 n/a n/a 0 616
1994 455 130 23 22 1 n/a n/a 0 631
1995 405 173 46 29 1 n/a n/a 0 654
1996 405 173 46 29 1 n/a n/a 0 654
1997 395 159 60 21 4 n/a n/a 0 639
1998 353 190 62 48 5 n/a n/a 5 663
1999 791 423 95 101 5 n/a n/a 0 1415
2000 434 98 61 40 1 n/a n/a 0 634
2001 499 95 63 37 1 n/a n/a 0 695
2002 557 101 73 94 3 n/a n/a 0 828
2003 557 101 73 94 3 n/a n/a 0 828
2004 580 103 74 113 3 n/a n/a 0 873
2005 539 125 63 142 3 n/a n/a 0 872
2006 497 124 49 168 6 n/a n/a 0 844
2007 437 95 51 181 5 n/a n/a 40 809
2008 423 91 51 149 5 n/a n/a 33 752
2009 405 108 49 103 5 n/a n/a 0 670
2010 440 123 58 109 3 n/a n/a 0 733
2011 457 94 52 176 10 0 24 0 813
2012 452 91 48 196 6 0 29 0 822
2013 436 86 45 212 5 0 26 0 810
2014 416 73 46 210 4 1 30 0 780
2015 385 105 47 206 1 0 33 0 777
2016 359 113 46 193 4 0 33 0 748
2017 356 104 35 169 3 0 28 0 695
2018 326 101 39 168 1 0 29 0 664
2019 310 120 40 156 0 0 26 0 652
2020 263 99 38 137 1 0 30 0 568
2021 242 107 29 127 3 0 28 0 536
2022 232 102 27 133 0 1 17 0 512
2023 231 99 42 127 1 2 23 0 525

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 Adams Elementary

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 633 30.0 21.1 13.1
1989 629 30.0 20.9 13.4
1990 575 30.0 19.1 18.1
1991 586 39.0 15.0 17.7
1992 598 39.0 15.3 10
1993 616 40.0 15.4 17.7
1994 631 40.0 15.8 15.5
1995 654 39.0 16.8 18
1996 654 39.0 16.8 18
1997 639 40.0 16.0 18.6
1998 663 42.0 15.8 21
1999 1415 90.0 15.7 12.3
2000 634 89.0 7.1 n/a
2001 695 44.0 15.8 8.9
2002 828 51.0 16.2 13.2
2003 828 51.0 16.2 13.2
2004 873 51.0 17.1 15
2005 872 52.0 16.8 22.7
2006 844 62.0 13.6 28.9
2007 809 n/a n/a 37.2
2008 752 54.3 13.8 n/a
2009 670 46.6 14.4 n/a
2010 733 48.0 15.2 27.6
2011 813 59.5 13.6 33.5
2012 822 55.9 14.6 37.7
2013 810 57.5 14.0 38.5
2014 780 57.5 13.5 38.1
2015 777 56.0 13.8 43.5
2016 748 53.0 14.1 43.2
2017 695 45.1 15.3 44.2
2018 664 42.7 15.5 43.1
2019 652 44.0 14.8 47.1
2020 568 43.0 13.2 46.3
2021 536 40.4 13.2 38.8
2022 512 45.5 11.2 33.8
2023 525 39.8 13.1 49.7

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 Adams Elementary

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 633 30.0 21.1 13.1
1989 629 30.0 20.9 13.4
1990 575 30.0 19.1 18.1
1991 586 39.0 15.0 17.7
1992 598 39.0 15.3 10
1993 616 40.0 15.4 17.7
1994 631 40.0 15.8 15.5
1995 654 39.0 16.8 18
1996 654 39.0 16.8 18
1997 639 40.0 16.0 18.6
1998 663 42.0 15.8 21
1999 1415 90.0 15.7 12.3
2000 634 89.0 7.1 n/a
2001 695 44.0 15.8 8.9
2002 828 51.0 16.2 13.2
2003 828 51.0 16.2 13.2
2004 873 51.0 17.1 15
2005 872 52.0 16.8 22.7
2006 844 62.0 13.6 28.9
2007 809 n/a n/a 37.2
2008 752 54.3 13.8 n/a
2009 670 46.6 14.4 n/a
2010 733 48.0 15.2 27.6
2011 813 59.5 13.6 33.5
2012 822 55.9 14.6 37.7
2013 810 57.5 14.0 38.5
2014 780 57.5 13.5 38.1
2015 777 56.0 13.8 43.5
2016 748 53.0 14.1 43.2
2017 695 45.1 15.3 44.2
2018 664 42.7 15.5 43.1
2019 652 44.0 14.8 47.1
2020 568 43.0 13.2 46.3
2021 536 40.4 13.2 38.8
2022 512 45.5 11.2 33.8
2023 525 39.8 13.1 49.7

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 Adams Elementary

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $952 (9.3%) $9,315 (90.7%) $10,267

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Adams 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 614th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 334th of 1502 Elementary schools
 19.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Adams Elementary)66.365.4
 0.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)69.467.4
 2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Adams Elementary)67.456.4
 11%
   3rd Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)6658.7
 7.3%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Adams Elementary)64.368.8
 4.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)6565
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Adams Elementary)53.666.7
 13.1%
   4th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)63.265.7
 2.5%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Adams Elementary)60.272.6
 12.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)6665.6
 0.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Adams Elementary)60.259.5
 0.7%
   5th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)60.659.1
 1.5%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Adams Elementary)70.972.6
 1.7%
   5th Grade Science (Wake County Schools)71.370.6
 0.7%
   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 Students652525
 19.5%
African American12099
 17.5%
American Indian01
Asian4042
 5%
Hispanic156127
 18.6%
Pacific Islander02
White310231
 25.5%
Two or More Races2623
 11.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients47.1%49.7%
 2.6%


Schools Near Adams Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Adams Elementary

In the 2022-23 school year, 525 students attended Adams Elementary.

Students at Adams Elementary are 44% White, 24% Hispanic, 19% African American, 8% Asian, 4% Two or more races.

Adams Elementary ranks 565th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


Rate Adams Elementary!



Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Adams Elementary!




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.





Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 931 milliseconds.