The top reported proficiency rate is 32% in Math. The lowest is 16% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Everetts Elementary S.t.e.m. Academy
Everetts Elementary S.T.E.M. Academy serves preK through fifth grade in Roanoke Rapids, a small city in Halifax County that grew from textile mills along the Roanoke River. The city has moved toward healthcare and manufacturing after the mills closed, and civic life centers on Roanoke Avenue's downtown corridor and Centennial Park, with retail stretching toward Interstate 95. Housing here is affordable relative to the state, with monthly rents in the mid-hundreds and home values well below state benchmarks.
The school's enrollment is small, with a student body that is predominantly Black. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the families the school serves. Pre-K through second grade are the largest groups; third through fifth grade have fewer students.
Everetts is part of a district that has restructured each of its schools around distinct academic themes. Everetts carries the STEM designation, meaning families choosing the school are expecting science, technology, engineering, and math to shape the daily curriculum and pedagogy. The district designed these thematic identities to attract families, and this is a stated commitment to how the school differentiates itself within Halifax County Schools.
State testing data shows academic performance that is notably below grade-level standards in math, English language arts, and especially science. Fewer than a third of students in grades three through five tested at the proficient level or above in math, fewer than a quarter in ELA, and in science fewer than one in five. The science results must be read with some caution because that test changed this year, which can affect comparability; even so, the numbers are low. Among the schools within Halifax County for which comparison data was available, Everetts sits in the bottom quartile overall on proficiency measures. A parent may want to explore with the school what support systems are in place for students working below grade level, what tutoring or intervention happens during and after school, and how the STEM focus translates into classroom instruction across grades.
The district faces a significant resource constraint following a 2025 court ruling that dismissed the decades-long Leandro lawsuit, which had sought billions in additional state funding for under-resourced North Carolina districts. Halifax County Schools had viewed this as its primary legal path to substantially more resources. The dismissal ends that pathway and leaves the district navigating its budget without that anticipated state aid.
On the positive side, Halifax County Schools is actively building new infrastructure. A major new elementary school is under construction in the western part of the county to replace aging facilities and consolidate two aging elementary schools, bringing specialist staff and shorter bus rides to that region. This signals district-level investment in improving conditions.
Roanoke Rapids itself is modest in scale and car-dependent, though downtown Roanoke Avenue has walkable stretches with locally owned shops, and the Main Street Roanoke Rapids program is undertaking building renovations and streetscape improvements. The city is in a rebuilding phase after mill closures; new residential construction is happening in designated subdivisions with homes in moderate price ranges. For families already in the area or moving to Roanoke Rapids for employment at WestRock, ECU Health North Hospital, or Dominion Energy, Everetts offers a small, themed elementary school with a structured STEM focus. For families considering the school because of its academic reputation, the test results warrant direct conversation with school leadership about what is being done to close performance gaps.
See more original research from School Decision →