Powell Elementary

Summary:

Powell Elementary is a public magnet elementary school located in Raleigh, North Carolina, serving 284 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Wake County Schools district, which is ranked 59th out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Powell Elementary has a relatively diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 43.31% White, 39.08% African American, 11.62% Hispanic, 1.41% Asian, and 4.23% two or more races. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by the percentage of students proficient or better in EOG (End-of-Grade) tests, is generally lower than the Wake County Schools and North Carolina averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of 3rd-grade students proficient or better in Mathematics was 50%, compared to 69.3% for Wake County and 62.7% for North Carolina. Additionally, Powell Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom half of North Carolina elementary schools, with a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years, lower than some nearby schools like Partnership Elementary and Underwood Elementary.

One potential strength of Powell Elementary is its relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 8.6 to 9.3 over the past three school years, lower than the ratios of some nearby schools like Wilburn Elementary, which has a ratio of 15.2. However, the school also has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 37% to 54.23% over the past three school years, significantly higher than some of the nearby schools. This may indicate that the school faces challenges in serving a population with greater socioeconomic needs, which could be a factor contributing to the school's lower academic performance.


Detail:

Public, Magnet PK, KG-5

 1130 Marlborough Rd
       Raleigh, NC  27610-1125


(919) 856-7737

District: Wake County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
724th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,739 Help


Students who attend Powell Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Martin Middle
High:    Enloe High
    Wake Early College of Health and Science
    Wake STEM Early College High School
    Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  8.7 Help
Number of students:  286

Racial breakdown:

White:
42.0%
African American:
34.6%
Hispanic:
16.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  53.1% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Powell Elementary ranks better than 51.9% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 80th among 115 ranked elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 51.31. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Powell Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (42%), African American (34.6%), Hispanic (16.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 53.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Powell Elementary is 8.7, which is the 2nd best among 115 elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Powell Elementary employs 32.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Powell Elementary is $13,739, which is the 3rd highest among 115 elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Powell Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Powell Elementary 724th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Powell Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male 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 Powell Elementary.

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Rank History for Powell Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Powell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 39.82 867th 1276 32.1%
2007 60.28 543rd 1293 58.0%
2008 66.35 415th 1324 68.7%
2009 57.16 663rd 1354 51.0%
2010 53.41 729th 1363 46.5%
2011 38.06 947th 1381 31.4%
2012 41.89 910th 1388 34.4%
2013 39.02 867th 1403 38.2%
2014 33.44 962nd 1390 30.8%
2015 40.09 913th 1440 36.6%
2016 34.89 1004th 1425 29.5%
2017 25.79 1147th 1429 19.7%
2018 22.46 1183rd 1434 17.5%
2019 25.70 1172nd 1473 20.4%
2021 49.32 722nd 1489 51.5%
2022 51.01 726th 1514 52.0%
2023 56.89 638th 1502 57.5%
2024 51.31 724th 1505 51.9%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Powell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.26 1289th 1332 3.2%
2019 14.69 1276th 1361 6.2%
2021 17.46 1197th 1329 9.9%
2022 18.77 1237th 1366 9.4%
2023 31.31 1063rd 1437 26.0%
2024 42.02 892nd 1450 38.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Powell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.85 1053rd 1405 25.1%
2019 35.00 992nd 1424 30.3%
2021 38.60 851st 1440 40.9%
2022 42.42 840th 1458 42.4%
2023 48.49 767th 1459 47.4%
2024 46.75 767th 1455 47.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Powell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 24.97 538th 646 16.7%
2022 52.77 222nd 634 65.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Powell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 50.15 359th 500 28.2%
2023 39.38 506th 582 13.1%
2024 54.44 394th 669 41.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Powell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.21 1265th 1413 10.5%
2019 21.67 1217th 1430 14.9%
2021 57.89 577th 1444 60.0%
2022 56.48 619th 1464 57.7%
2023 65.69 455th 1461 68.9%
2024 53.82 678th 1464 53.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Powell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.01 836th 927 9.8%
2019 25.64 794th 949 16.3%
2021 23.22 773rd 896 13.7%
2022 26.26 759th 927 18.1%
2023 38.45 586th 933 37.2%
2024 49.00 439th 924 52.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Powell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 45.96 508th 951 46.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Powell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.67 196th 1178 83.4%
2021 85.29 121st 1172 89.7%
2022 69.87 323rd 1194 72.9%
2023 64.62 395th 1183 66.6%
2024 54.43 541st 1166 53.6%
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.

Powell 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: 2.7)
33%

0%

0%

33%

33%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Saturday, September 1, 2018

Open Quote elementary school have issues with bullying and principal and staff do not do anything to stop it, if you have a child with special needs school nurse will do everything not do her job, unfortunately school nurses in this county were trained to change a band aid nothing more. Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Open Quote School has declined. Students acting out cause issues and the administration does not do anything effective. Ends up hurting the kids. My oldest finishes this year (THANKFULLY) but will not have my youngest go here cause the administration cannot get it together Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, April 7, 2011

Open Quote Powell Elementary school the beast for my kids i have two kids in this school the teachers and the principal the way they give home work parent partispation I would like to give the school 5 Close Quote



Enrollment information for Powell Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 219 196 3 0 0 n/a n/a 0 418
1989 218 210 3 0 0 n/a n/a 0 431
1990 228 202 6 5 0 n/a n/a 0 441
1991 241 199 9 5 0 n/a n/a 0 454
1992 275 205 10 7 0 n/a n/a 0 497
1993 271 234 15 6 0 n/a n/a 0 526
1994 265 233 10 7 0 n/a n/a 0 515
1995 296 234 11 7 0 n/a n/a 0 548
1996 296 234 11 7 0 n/a n/a 0 548
1997 252 286 9 5 0 n/a n/a 0 552
1998 247 266 7 2 0 n/a n/a 0 522
1999 215 254 8 2 0 n/a n/a 0 479
2000 221 301 14 4 4 n/a n/a 0 544
2001 202 303 18 4 3 n/a n/a 0 530
2002 151 279 17 4 1 n/a n/a 0 452
2003 151 279 17 4 1 n/a n/a 0 452
2004 131 291 20 4 1 n/a n/a 0 447
2005 118 287 19 8 1 n/a n/a 0 433
2006 115 310 14 12 0 n/a n/a 0 451
2007 113 304 16 20 0 n/a n/a 20 473
2008 112 316 18 21 0 n/a n/a 22 489
2009 122 266 20 20 0 n/a n/a 0 428
2010 126 275 14 20 0 n/a n/a 0 435
2011 128 230 15 37 3 0 23 0 436
2012 123 228 15 40 4 0 17 0 427
2013 129 244 15 57 4 0 14 0 463
2014 109 241 15 46 3 0 14 0 428
2015 96 247 16 57 5 0 12 0 433
2016 87 245 12 62 4 0 10 0 420
2017 94 225 7 64 3 0 6 0 399
2018 85 188 4 55 0 0 11 0 343
2019 93 157 8 51 0 0 11 0 320
2020 104 150 7 51 0 0 8 0 320
2021 121 114 6 46 0 0 5 0 292
2022 138 106 5 42 1 0 8 0 300
2023 123 111 4 33 1 0 12 0 284
2024 120 99 4 47 2 0 14 0 286

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 Powell Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 418 22.0 19.0 20.8
1989 431 22.0 19.5 13.9
1990 441 21.0 21.0 18.1
1991 454 29.0 15.6 17.6
1992 497 29.0 17.1 16.5
1993 526 38.0 13.8 21.5
1994 515 38.0 13.6 23.5
1995 548 40.0 13.7 25
1996 548 40.0 13.7 25
1997 552 34.0 16.2 22.8
1998 522 40.0 13.1 29.7
1999 479 32.0 15.0 33.8
2000 544 32.0 17.0 31.4
2001 530 39.0 13.6 44.3
2002 452 37.0 12.2 65.3
2003 452 37.0 12.2 65.3
2004 447 37.0 12.1 52.3
2005 433 35.0 12.4 56.1
2006 451 54.0 8.4 54.5
2007 473 n/a n/a 55.8
2008 489 39.0 12.5 n/a
2009 428 37.0 11.6 n/a
2010 435 36.5 11.9 54.7
2011 436 35.8 12.1 52.3
2012 427 35.9 11.8 55.5
2013 463 39.3 11.7 59.2
2014 428 38.9 10.9 55.8
2015 433 36.0 12.0 58.2
2016 420 33.0 12.7 65.7
2017 399 35.5 11.2 60.2
2018 343 30.8 11.1 57.4
2019 320 32.0 10.0 50.3
2020 320 30.6 10.4 54.4
2021 292 31.1 9.3 41.4
2022 300 34.5 8.6 37
2023 284 31.1 9.1 54.2
2024 286 32.8 8.7 53.1

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 Powell Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 418 22.0 19.0 20.8
1989 431 22.0 19.5 13.9
1990 441 21.0 21.0 18.1
1991 454 29.0 15.6 17.6
1992 497 29.0 17.1 16.5
1993 526 38.0 13.8 21.5
1994 515 38.0 13.6 23.5
1995 548 40.0 13.7 25
1996 548 40.0 13.7 25
1997 552 34.0 16.2 22.8
1998 522 40.0 13.1 29.7
1999 479 32.0 15.0 33.8
2000 544 32.0 17.0 31.4
2001 530 39.0 13.6 44.3
2002 452 37.0 12.2 65.3
2003 452 37.0 12.2 65.3
2004 447 37.0 12.1 52.3
2005 433 35.0 12.4 56.1
2006 451 54.0 8.4 54.5
2007 473 n/a n/a 55.8
2008 489 39.0 12.5 n/a
2009 428 37.0 11.6 n/a
2010 435 36.5 11.9 54.7
2011 436 35.8 12.1 52.3
2012 427 35.9 11.8 55.5
2013 463 39.3 11.7 59.2
2014 428 38.9 10.9 55.8
2015 433 36.0 12.0 58.2
2016 420 33.0 12.7 65.7
2017 399 35.5 11.2 60.2
2018 343 30.8 11.1 57.4
2019 320 32.0 10.0 50.3
2020 320 30.6 10.4 54.4
2021 292 31.1 9.3 41.4
2022 300 34.5 8.6 37
2023 284 31.1 9.1 54.2
2024 286 32.8 8.7 53.1

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 Powell Elementary

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,144 (8.3%) $12,595 (91.7%) $13,739

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Powell 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 1172nd of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 638th of 1502 Elementary schools
 37.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Powell Elementary)29.361.8
 32.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)69.467.4
 2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Powell Elementary)46.347.1
 0.8%
   3rd Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)6658.7
 7.3%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Powell Elementary)59.364.8
 5.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)6565
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Powell Elementary)46.352.7
 6.4%
   4th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)63.265.7
 2.5%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Powell Elementary)46.850
 3.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)6665.6
 0.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Powell Elementary)38.360.9
 22.6%
   5th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)60.659.1
 1.5%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Powell Elementary)53.263
 9.8%
   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 Students320284
 11.3%
African American157111
 29.3%
American Indian01
Asian84
 50%
Hispanic5133
 35.3%
Pacific Islander00
White93123
 32.3%
Two or More Races1112
 9.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients50.3%54.2%
 3.9%


Schools Near Powell Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Powell Elementary

Students at Powell Elementary are 42% White, 35% African American, 16% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Powell Elementary ranks 724th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 286 students attended Powell Elementary.


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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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