The top reported proficiency rate is 56% in Math. The lowest is 46% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Kimmel Farm Elementary
Kimmel Farm Elementary is a public school serving PreK through fifth grade in the southern part of Winston-Salem, near the zip code 27284. It is a regular neighborhood school with no charter or magnet designation, and it is part of the Winston Salem/Forsyth County Schools district.
The school enrolls a substantial number of students across its grades, with the largest grades being the early elementary and upper-elementary years. Nearly all students at Kimmel Farm qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a student body experiencing economic hardship. The racial and ethnic composition is diverse: roughly half the enrollment is Black, about a quarter is Hispanic, and the remainder is split among White, multiracial, Asian, and Native American students. The school does not report data on students with disabilities or English learners, so those breakdowns are not available.
State test results for spring 2025 show proficiency rates that are worth understanding plainly. In math, slightly more than half the students in grades three through five scored proficient or above. In English language arts, the rate was lower, at roughly forty-five percent proficient or above. In science, the proficiency rate was about fifty-five percent. These numbers reflect a school where students are developing skills, but a substantial share of the student body is not yet reaching grade-level benchmarks in state testing. State testing data was not available for the earlier primary grades, as North Carolina does not administer the state assessment until grade three.
Housing in the school's area is relatively modest and more affordable than state and national benchmarks. Sale prices in the zip code are below the statewide average, and monthly rent is moderate, making the neighborhood accessible to families on limited budgets. The affordability is notably higher here than in wealthier parts of the region, which aligns with the economic profile of the families the school serves.
Kimmel Farm's academic context is that of an urban school in a mid-sized city experiencing growth and reinvestment. Winston-Salem has undergone significant downtown revitalization over the past two decades, with conversion of historic buildings to residential and mixed-use space, expansion of medical and research institutions, and active development of the Innovation Quarter. The broader district serves a diverse population across the county, and the district has faced capital project constraints in recent years due to rising construction costs, though the county government has provided supplemental funding to preserve funding for renovations at other schools. The district has also adopted a modified academic calendar starting school in August rather than after Labor Day, which families should know when planning childcare and summer activities.
Parents considering Kimmel Farm should understand that this is a school serving a student population with significant economic need and diverse language and cultural backgrounds. The academic performance data suggests students are working toward proficiency, with stronger results in math and science than in reading. A parent may want to look into what instructional supports, interventions, and enrichment opportunities the school offers, especially for students below proficiency levels. The school's neighborhood location and housing affordability make it accessible to working families, though the economic pressures reflected in the lunch data are real.
See more original research from School Decision →