The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in Science. The lowest is 31% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Ferguson-easley Elementary
Ferguson-Easley Elementary serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Fayetteville, a mid-sized city dominated by Fort Liberty and the surrounding defense industry. The school enrolls a small-to-mid-sized population drawn from a neighborhood that is highly economically disadvantaged. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is predominantly Black, with meaningful shares of Hispanic and multiracial students, and small numbers of white and Native American students.
On state testing, Ferguson-Easley's proficiency rates in grades three through five fall below expectations. In English language arts, about one-third of tested students scored at proficient or above. Math proficiency was lower still, near one-third. Science proficiency was somewhat higher but still below half. These results reflect a school facing real academic headwinds. A parent considering this school should ask directly about interventions in place to support learning in reading, writing, and mathematics, and what tutoring, after-school, or summer support is available.
State testing data was provided only for grades three through five; the school's younger students in pre-K, kindergarten, and grades one and two are not tested under North Carolina's assessment system, so their academic progress is not reflected in state numbers. That is typical for early-grade schools and does not signal weakness; it simply means state data cannot tell you how well the school is serving its youngest learners.
The school sits on Seabrook Road, an auto-oriented corridor typical of Fayetteville, so families will need a car for daily drop-off and most errands. The neighborhood around the school is car-dependent overall. Downtown Fayetteville, with its parks, cultural venues, and restaurants, is a short drive away.
Cumberland County Schools is currently navigating major structural change. The district recently closed two schools and approved a facilities consolidation plan addressing significant repair backlogs. Attendance zones have been redrawn, and families should confirm current assignment boundaries and the timeline for any further changes. The district is also operating under a structural budget deficit after federal pandemic relief ended, with implications for staffing, program funding, and tax pressure. At the same time, the district has opened high school choice for military families living on Fort Liberty, a shift that may affect enrollment patterns. These district-wide moves create both uncertainty and opportunity for families deciding where to settle.
Housing in the zip code around Ferguson-Easley is quite affordable relative to state and national benchmarks, and rental availability is strong. A substantial portion of families in the area are military-connected and may be in the region for a defined period. This shapes community composition and turnover.
Ferguson-Easley is a regular public elementary school serving a neighborhood with genuine needs. If your child will attend, engage directly with school staff about their literacy and numeracy support strategies, what parent involvement looks like, and what the school's plan is to move students toward grade-level proficiency. Ask, too, about how the school connects families to broader district or community resources. The test results show this is not a school coasting on its community's resources; it is a school where effort and partnership between school and family matter concretely for outcome.
See more original research from School Decision →