Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 28 schools in district

Sherrills Ford Elementary

8103 Sherrills Ford Road, Sherrills Ford, NC 28673Catawba County Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–06Non-Charter
517
Students
Total enrolled
$12,509
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 13% vs nat'l
15.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
33/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 33% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 517 students in grades KG–06 in Sherrills Ford, North Carolina.
13% below average funding
District spends $12,509 per pupil, 13% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 33th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Sherrills Ford Elementary is a large elementary in Sherrills Ford, North Carolina, serving grades KG–06 with 517 students. The district invests $12,509 per student — 13% below the national average of $14,347, with a 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 30% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 33/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Sherrills Ford Elementary

517
Total Students
15.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
30%
Free Lunch
33
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–06) are served by this school
Gender Distribution266 male · 251 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility30%
National avg 52% · 157 students
Student Composition
86%
Asian1%
White86%
Hispanic / Latino7%
Black2%
Multiracial4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370069000288

Academic Outcomes at Sherrills Ford Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
33
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 33th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 6th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 28673

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,509Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,509
State avg
$13,042
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,504
Student Support$2,377
Administration$1,501
Operations$1,876
Other$1,251
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,509 spent per student, an estimated $5,541 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
55%
22%
State government
55.5%
Local (property tax)
22.3%
Federal programs
22.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (33/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Saint Stephens ElementaryMountain View ElementaryBalls Creek ElementarySnow Creek Elementary
+11 more
↓
Middle
Harry M Arndt MiddleRiver Bend MiddleJacobs Fork MiddleMaiden Middle School
+1 more
↓
High School
Saint Stephens HighFred T Foard HighMaiden HighBandys High
+2 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 06
Location—
CountyCatawba County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictCatawba County Schools →
Phone: (828)478-2662
NCES ID: 370069000288
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Sherrills Ford seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Catawba County Schools
High
Saint Stephens High
1,265 students · 09–12
● 36 opp53% FRL
High
Fred T Foard High
956 students · 09–12
● 36 opp41% FRL
High
Maiden High
870 students · 09–12
● 35 opp46% FRL
High
Bandys High
864 students · 09–12
● 33 opp33% FRL
High
Bunker Hill High
828 students · 09–12
● 34 opp56% FRL
Elem
Saint Stephens Elementary
698 students · PK–06
● 34 opp78% FRL
Elem
Mountain View Elementary
686 students · KG–06
● 33 opp49% FRL
Elem
Balls Creek Elementary
679 students · PK–06
● 36 opp57% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
8103 Sherrills Ford Road, Sherrills Ford, NC 28673
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.