The top reported proficiency rate is 25% in Math. The lowest is 17% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on North Hills Elementary
North Hills Elementary serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Winston-Salem as a regular public school within the Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools district. The school enrolls a small group of students, with about equal proportions in each elementary grade and smaller pre-K and kindergarten cohorts. Roughly half the enrollment identifies as Black, and a large share identifies as Hispanic; white students make up a very small portion. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, marking the school as serving a community with substantial economic need.
Academic performance at North Hills is notably low across tested subjects. In the most recent state testing data available, proficiency rates in English language arts and math for grades three through eight both fall well below what the district and state typically see. Science proficiency also sits below district norms. These results reflect real challenges in reading, writing, and mathematical thinking that a parent should discuss directly with school leadership to understand what support and instruction the school is providing, what gaps exist, and what progress trends look like over time.
The school sits in Winston-Salem, a mid-sized North Carolina city that has undergone substantial revitalization over the past two decades. Downtown and the Innovation Quarter, a walkable mixed-use district built from repurposed tobacco warehouses, anchor civic life and contain research institutions, cultural venues, and housing. Beyond the downtown core, Winston-Salem's employment landscape is diverse: the region's largest employers include Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and other healthcare systems, Wake Forest University, manufacturing and advanced logistics operations, and financial services hubs. The city has been adding housing and jobs steadily, including new mixed-income residential projects. Housing costs in the school's zip code are modest by regional standards, and rents have edged upward in recent years. The labor market in Forsyth County is relatively stable.
The broader district is navigating significant capital constraints. In 2022, the board postponed three major projects from a bond program after construction costs roughly doubled, leaving some attendance areas without expected new schools or renovations. Forsyth County later provided additional funding to preserve work on remaining projects, including several elementary schools. More recently, the district has shifted to a modified academic calendar, starting in early August rather than late August and ending in late May, a scheduling change families should factor into childcare and summer planning.
State testing data for North Hills does not include English learner enrollment or special education counts, so parents may want to ask the school directly about the composition of those populations and the resources available. The school's strength and growth trajectory are not visible in the data provided. What is clear is that current academic outcomes are low, and any family considering North Hills should seek a detailed conversation with the school about the specific instruction in reading and math, intervention supports, and what recent trend data shows about student progress.
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