Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 16 schools in district

Edward Best Elementary

4011 NC 56 Hwy East, Louisburg, NC 27549Franklin County Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
476
Students
Total enrolled
$12,921
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 10% vs nat'l
14.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 9% vs nat'l
32/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 36% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 476 students in grades PK–05 in Louisburg, North Carolina.
10% below average funding
District spends $12,921 per pupil, 10% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 32th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Edward Best Elementary is a mid-sized elementary in Louisburg, North Carolina, serving grades PK–05 with 476 students. The district invests $12,921 per student — 10% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 71% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 32/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Edward Best Elementary

476
Total Students
14.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
71%
Free Lunch
34
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution258 male · 218 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility71%
National avg 52% · 338 students
Student Composition
43%
24%
24%
8%
White43%
Hispanic / Latino24%
Black24%
Multiracial8%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370153000653

Academic Outcomes at Edward Best Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
32
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 32th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 4th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 27549

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,921Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,921
State avg
$13,042
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,685
Student Support$2,455
Administration$1,551
Operations$1,938
Other$1,292
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,921 spent per student, an estimated $5,724 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
57%
23%
State government
57.1%
Local (property tax)
23.3%
Federal programs
19.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (32/100) — 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
Bunn ElementaryFranklinton ElementaryLouisburg ElementaryLong Mill Elementary
+3 more
↓
Middle
Bunn MiddleCedar Creek MiddleTerrell Lane MiddleFranklinton Middle
↓
High School
Franklinton HighBunn HighLouisburg Magnet HighFranklin County Early College
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyFranklin County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictFranklin County Schools →
Phone: (919)853-2347
NCES ID: 370153000653
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Louisburg seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Franklin County Schools
High
Franklinton High
1,182 students · 09–12
● 36 opp48% FRL
High
Bunn High
838 students · 09–12
● 39 opp59% FRL
Mid
Bunn Middle
591 students · 06–08
● 39 opp72% FRL
Elem
Bunn Elementary
554 students · PK–05
● 39 opp70% FRL
High
Louisburg Magnet High
536 students · 09–12
● 32 opp69% FRL
Elem
Franklinton Elementary
522 students · PK–05
● 36 opp81% FRL
Mid
Cedar Creek Middle
515 students · 06–08
● 38 opp54% FRL
Elem
Louisburg Elementary
410 students · PK–05
● 32 opp86% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
4011 NC 56 Hwy East, Louisburg, NC 27549
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.