The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in Math. The lowest is 37% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Merrick-moore Elementary
Merrick-Moore Elementary is a public K-5 school in Durham serving a student population of about five hundred thirty students, predominantly from low-income families. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the school's enrollment is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with a small Asian and white population. The school's academic results show mixed performance on state assessments.
In math, about three-fifths of students in grades three through five reached proficiency on the 2024-25 End-of-Grade test. Science proficiency stood at roughly three-fifths as well. English language arts tells a different story: about one-third of tested students achieved proficiency, substantially lower than the other two subjects. The data on enrollment counts, specific proficiency numbers, and participation rates are available in the data tables but not summarized in prose. State testing data does not extend to the earliest grades the school serves, so a parent looking at early-literacy performance would need to ask the school directly about reading progress in kindergarten and first grade.
The school sits in Durham, a mixed-use city anchored by Duke University and a revitalized downtown, with adaptive reuse of historic tobacco warehouses creating a texture of creative enterprises, restaurants, and startups. Durham has a clear civic core downtown, though Merrick-Moore itself is located away from that center on Cheek Road. The broader city spans from walkable historic neighborhoods like Trinity Park and Old West Durham near downtown to suburban family areas like Treyburn. Durham is in sustained growth, with the region adding substantial multifamily housing in recent years and the city adopting zoning reforms to allow more diverse housing types. The housing market in the school's zip code is moderate relative to the state and national benchmarks, with ownership costs higher than regional rent. A parent would find themselves in a growing, economically diversified region shaped by healthcare, research institutions, and tech.
Durham Public Schools has recently put in place major instructional changes. The district adopted the Science of Reading framework district-wide, requiring structured, explicit phonics-based instruction with set daily minimums in K-2 and grades three through five. This is not just a policy change but a shift in pedagogy that will shape how your child is taught to read and how reading difficulties are identified. The district approved a substantial bond referendum in 2022 to renovate schools and construct two new campuses, funded through a property tax increase that carries an ongoing cost for homeowners. At the same time, the district faces nearly a billion dollars in deferred maintenance needs and has begun discussing possible consolidation of older elementary schools. Club Boulevard, George Watts, and Y.E. Smith elementaries have been named for possible closure, and a parent seeking long-term stability might want to ask whether Merrick-Moore could be affected by those conversations. The district also went through a notable labor dispute in 2024 involving classified workers' pay and sickouts, followed by new salary schedules and ongoing labor-management dialogue, a dynamic that affects staffing continuity.
Data on whether the school has English learner support, special education enrollment, chronic absenteeism, or discipline practices were not available in the provided record. A parent would want to ask the school directly about those supports and the school culture. The school's performance picture is legible from state testing, but a fuller sense of how the school is functioning day to day would require a conversation with school leadership.
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