The top reported proficiency rate is 61% in Science. The lowest is 45% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Manteo Elementary School
Manteo Elementary School is a public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Manteo, North Carolina, a small Outer Banks town on Roanoke Island that functions as the Dare County seat. The school sits on Highway 64 across from the Dare County Library, placing it slightly inland from Manteo's walkable downtown waterfront where civic life centers on the boardwalk, marina, and harbor.
The student body reflects the broad Outer Banks population. A majority are white, with a substantial share Hispanic, a smaller population of mixed-race students, and very small numbers of Black and Asian students. More than half the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating widespread economic need in the area. The school serves families living in a housing market where median home values have climbed into the mid-range, driven by tight Outer Banks supply and tourism pressure; workforce-housing affordability is now a major local concern, with a recent community effort underway to develop roughly a dozen workforce units near downtown. The school draws from a town where longtime families live alongside newer arrivals and visitors.
The enrollment is moderate in size for its grade band, with nearly equal distribution across the elementary grades and a smaller pre-K cohort. This is not a school the district marks as Title I or reports special-education or English-learner enrollment for, though the high free-and-reduced-lunch rate suggests considerable economic diversity.
On state testing, the school's proficiency results are mixed. In reading, the school's proficiency rate falls below the midpoint; in math, it sits just under half proficient or above. Science proficiency is stronger, more than halfway to full proficiency, though the science assessment changed recently, so trend comparisons are unavailable. The gaps in reading and math are substantial enough that a parent may want to look into this further with the school: what targeted support exists for students who did not reach proficiency, and how the school approaches skill gaps in foundational literacy and numeracy, especially given the economic context of the student body.
Dare County Schools has made two curricular moves that affect families at this school. The district introduced Spanish Dual Language Immersion instruction in first through fifth grades at all elementary schools, and parents wishing to enroll must commit starting in kindergarten. The program now extends into middle school, creating a continuous bilingual pathway. Additionally, starting in 2024-2025, the district aligned its calendar with College of The Albemarle so that the fall semester ends and exams conclude before winter break. For a school this close to a county seat and a community with arts institutions and educational anchors, the practical question for a family is whether these curricular choices and the school's test performance together suggest a fit for their child's learning needs and the family's priorities around academics, language, and scheduling.
See more original research from School Decision →