The top reported proficiency rate is 57% in Science. The lowest is 40% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on J W Coon Elementary
J W Coon Elementary is a small preK-5 school in Fayetteville serving fewer than a couple hundred students, nearly all of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Black, with substantial shares of Hispanic and multiracial students, and smaller numbers of white and Asian students. This is a Title I school serving a very high-poverty neighborhood.
State testing data from the most recent school year shows math and English language arts proficiency at less than forty percent of students in the tested grades, which places the school well below where most families would hope their child to be performing. Science proficiency came in at a notably higher rate, though the state changed the science assessment that year, so year-to-year comparison is not straightforward. These results reflect genuine challenges in foundational literacy and numeracy and warrant direct conversation with school staff about what interventions and support systems are in place.
The school sits on Hope Mills Road in Fayetteville, a mid-sized city anchored by Fort Liberty and a mixed economy of military, health care, and government employers. Most of the city is car-dependent, though downtown has been revitalized in recent years with a baseball stadium, parks, and restaurants. Housing in the area is modestly priced relative to national benchmarks, though affordability has emerged as a top community concern as the metro grows.
Parents should know that J W Coon is now subject to a major district consolidation. In 2026, the Cumberland County Board of Education voted to close J W Coon, effective at the end of the current school year, reassigning students to other elementary schools in the district. This closure is part of a sweeping facilities plan driven by repair costs and enrollment trends district-wide. Families already enrolled should expect notification of their child's reassignment school and updated bus routes. Anyone considering the area should factor in that school assignments will shift and that the district is also exploring calendar changes, school closures, and boundary adjustments across multiple grades over the next few years as it works through a facilities modernization. Specific details about where current J W Coon students will be enrolled should come directly from the district office.
Beyond the closure itself, the district is navigating a structural budget deficit after federal pandemic relief funding ended, which is shaping staffing and program decisions across schools. Housing data in the broader Fayetteville zip code shows home values and rents broadly stable year-over-year, with mortgage affordability at or slightly better than national averages.
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