Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 28 schools in district

Buies Creek Elementary

340 Main Street, Buies Creek, NC 27506Harnett County Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
232
Students
Total enrolled
$11,473
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 20% vs nat'l
13.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 13% vs nat'l
31/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 37% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 232 students in grades KG–05 in Buies Creek, North Carolina.
20% below average funding
District spends $11,473 per pupil, 20% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 31th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Buies Creek Elementary is a mid-sized elementary in Buies Creek, North Carolina, serving grades KG–05 with 232 students. The district invests $11,473 per student — 20% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 54% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 31/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Buies Creek Elementary

232
Total Students
13.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
54%
Free Lunch
17
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution116 male · 116 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility54%
National avg 52% · 125 students
Student Composition
55%
17%
18%
8%
Asian1%
White55%
Hispanic / Latino17%
Black18%
Multiracial8%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370201000878

Academic Outcomes at Buies Creek Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
31
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 31th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 3th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 27506

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,473Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,473
State avg
$13,042
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,048
Student Support$2,180
Administration$1,377
Operations$1,721
Other$1,147
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,473 spent per student, an estimated $5,082 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
62%
State government
62.0%
Local (property tax)
13.4%
Federal programs
24.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 13.4:1 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-average funding — $11,473/student, 20% less than the national average
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (31/100) — 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
Benhaven ElementaryOverhills ElementaryHighland ElementaryDunn Elementary
+10 more
↓
Middle
Harnett Central MiddleHighland MiddleWestern Harnett MiddleOverhills Middle
+2 more
↓
High School
Overhills HighHarnett Central HighWestern Harnett HighTriton High
+2 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyHarnett County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictHarnett County Schools →
Phone: (910)893-3505
NCES ID: 370201000878
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Buies Creek 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 Harnett County Schools
High
Overhills High
1,971 students · 09–12
47% FRL
High
Harnett Central High
1,474 students · 09–12
56% FRL
High
Western Harnett High
1,386 students · 09–12
● 33 opp60% FRL
High
Triton High
1,287 students · 09–12
● 34 opp63% FRL
Elem
Benhaven Elementary
1,030 students · PK–05
45% FRL
Mid
Harnett Central Middle
1,024 students · 06–08
63% FRL
Elem
Overhills Elementary
930 students · PK–05
53% FRL
Elem
Highland Elementary
891 students · KG–05
● 38 opp53% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
340 Main Street, Buies Creek, NC 27506
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.