The top reported proficiency rate is 77% in Math. The lowest is 64% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Florence Elementary
Florence Elementary sits in High Point on the city's southern edge, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in what amounts to a small school for its grade band. The school enrolls across the full spectrum of the community: a substantial share of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is racially and ethnically diverse, with roughly equal representation across Black, white, and Asian students, alongside Latino families and others.
Academic performance on state tests reflects a school in the middle of the work. In math, measured among third through fifth graders, proficiency rates sit above midpoint for the state's achievement bar. Reading is weaker: English language arts proficiency runs noticeably lower, with fewer than two-thirds of tested students reaching proficiency. Science results, based on a smaller tested group, fall between the two. These patterns are consistent with schools serving economically stretched communities, where family resources and concurrent academic support outside school tend to be lean. A parent may want to ask the school directly about how these numbers are trending, what academic interventions are in place for students not yet proficient, and whether the school has room in its schedule and staffing to give those students extra help.
The school is part of Guilford County Schools, a large urban district now navigating substantial change. In 2022, voters approved a historic bond to rebuild or fully renovate many school buildings across the county, addressing years of deferred maintenance. Florence Elementary's own facility status and position in any construction timeline is not documented in the available data; parents should check directly with the school or the district about planned improvements to the building itself. Beyond facilities, the district has shifted its elementary math curriculum in its middle schools (not yet Florence) but may expand that instructional approach downward; it has also revised policies around gender and sexuality instruction in K-4, parental notification of name and pronoun use, and parental consent for certain student activities. These are material policy changes that shape daily school operations and what families will encounter.
High Point itself is in the midst of rapid growth, with downtown revitalization centered on a new stadium district and hundreds of new housing units planned or underway. The surrounding neighborhoods near Florence are a mix of older residential areas and newer development. Home values in the zip code run moderately below state average, and rental costs are below the state benchmark as well, making the area relatively affordable by regional standards. The city's major employers span manufacturing, healthcare, finance, education, and logistics, so families working in those sectors may find proximity to work.
Florence Elementary is a regular public school without choice applications or selective admissions. It draws from its attendance zone, so access depends on residence. The school's small enrollment relative to nearby grade-level peers, combined with its proficiency patterns, suggests it serves a particular pocket of High Point's population. For families moving to the area or considering this school, the right framing is less "is this the best school" and more "is this the right fit for our child and our circumstances"—a question best answered by visiting the school, reviewing the specific supports it offers for struggling readers, and understanding the trajectory of both the building and the district.
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