The top reported proficiency rate is 77% in Science. The lowest is 62% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Friendship Elementary
Friendship Elementary is a public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Winston-Salem, with an enrollment drawn mostly from the Friendship-Ledford Road area of the city. The school sits within Davidson County Schools, a district that spans multiple municipalities including Winston-Salem itself.
The school's recent state assessment results show a mixed but generally solid profile. In mathematics, proficiency stands at a level that ranks this school in the top quartile of Davidson County schools. Science performance is also strong. English language arts proficiency is lower than math and science, at a meaningful gap, suggesting that reading and writing may warrant closer attention or support. The school tested approximately 238 students in math and English language arts and a smaller cohort in science, reflecting the fact that state testing in North Carolina focuses on grades 3 through 8; younger students at Friendship are not state-tested. Comparison with other Davidson County schools places Friendship's overall proficiency index solidly above the median for the county, positioning it as one of the stronger academic performers in its immediate district context.
Enrollment is relatively modest and stable across grade bands, with the largest concentrations in kindergarten through fifth grade and a small pre-kindergarten cohort. Just under half of the school's students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a working-class to lower-middle-income student body. The racial and ethnic makeup is predominantly white, with smaller populations of Hispanic, Asian, Black, and multiracial students. Data on English learner status and special education enrollment were not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those populations and the specialized supports available.
Winston-Salem itself is a mid-sized city in the Piedmont that has stabilized and begun growing again after decades of decline tied to the decline of tobacco and textiles. The city center has invested heavily in adaptive reuse and downtown revitalization, with the Innovation Quarter and a network of pedestrian pathways anchoring civic life. Major employment is anchored by healthcare (Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Novant Health), Wake Forest University and School of Medicine, the district itself, and manufacturing operations including aerospace and medical-device firms. Housing in the school's zip code is relatively affordable; median home values and rental rates are below state and national benchmarks, making the area accessible to families with moderate incomes. The property tax rate in Davidson County has recently shifted downward in assessed value, which, while reflecting reassessment rather than a tax cut per se, means most households saw their assessed values increase even as the tax rate declined, keeping overall bills relatively stable.
The neighborhood around Friendship Elementary is residential and suburban in character. Access to downtown and its institutions requires a short drive. Transit is available through the Winston-Salem Transit Authority, which in March 2025 completed a service redesign to add and modify routes.
At the district level, Davidson County Schools is competing for resources alongside neighboring Lexington City Schools and Thomasville City Schools. The county commissioners have approved a renovation of the district's central administration building and supported district efforts to seek state grants for capital projects. This signals ongoing local commitment, though conversations at the board level have touched on funding constraints and competing priorities across multiple districts in the county.
For families considering Friendship Elementary, the school offers solid academic performance, particularly in math and science, and serves a stable, economically mixed population in a neighborhood with reasonable housing affordability. Parents may want to investigate English language arts support and ask the school about specialized programs, English learner resources, and special education services to determine fit for their child.
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