Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 81 schools in district

The Downtown School

601 N Cherry Street, Winston Salem, NC 27101Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–08Non-Charter
409
Students
Total enrolled
$14,195
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
11.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 24% vs nat'l
36/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 27% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 409 students in grades PK–08 in Winston Salem, North Carolina.
Near-average funding
District spends $14,195 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 36th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

The Downtown School is a mid-sized elementary in Winston Salem, North Carolina, serving grades PK–08 with 409 students. The district invests $14,195 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 26% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 36/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at The Downtown School

409
Total Students
11.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
26%
Free Lunch
35
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution223 male · 186 female
55%
45%
Male 55%Female 45%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility26%
National avg 52% · 107 students
Student Composition
47%
9%
36%
Asian1%
White47%
Hispanic / Latino9%
Black36%
Multiracial6%
Pacific Islander1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370150002293

Academic Outcomes at The Downtown School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
36
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 36th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 14th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 27101

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$14,195Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$14,195
State avg
$13,042
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,246
Student Support$2,697
Administration$1,703
Operations$2,129
Other$1,420
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $14,195 spent per student, an estimated $6,289 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
52%
25%
State government
52.1%
Local (property tax)
25.3%
Federal programs
22.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 11.7:1 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 (36/100) — 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
Meadowlark ElementaryKimmel Farm ElementaryClemmons ElementaryVienna Elementary
+4 more
↓
Middle
Clemmons Middle SchoolHanes Magnet SchoolNorthwest MiddleFlat Rock Middle
+8 more
↓
High School
West Forsyth HighRonald W Reagan High SchoolR J Reynolds HighEast Forsyth High
+6 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 08
Location—
CountyForsyth County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictWinston Salem / Forsyth County Schools →
Phone: (336)703-4125
NCES ID: 370150002293
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Winston Salem 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 Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools
High
West Forsyth High
2,348 students · 09–12
● 41 opp37% FRL
High
Ronald W Reagan High School
2,146 students · 09–12
● 41 opp31% FRL
High
R J Reynolds High
1,692 students · 09–12
● 47 opp58% FRL
High
East Forsyth High
1,655 students · 09–12
● 45 opp53% FRL
High
Parkland High
1,519 students · 09–12
● 36 opp99% FRL
High
Robert B Glenn High School
1,504 students · 09–12
● 45 opp72% FRL
High
Mount Tabor High School
1,431 students · 09–12
● 37 opp59% FRL
High
Atkins Academic & Tech High
1,192 students · 09–12
● 36 opp36% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
601 N Cherry Street, Winston Salem, NC 27101
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.