The top reported proficiency rate is 47% in Math. The lowest is 36% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Boone Trail Elementary
Boone Trail Elementary is a public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in Lillington, the county seat of Harnett County, sitting in the middle of rapid growth. The school enrolls a diverse group of students, with enrollment distributed fairly evenly across the grade span. A striking and relevant detail about this school's population is that virtually all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, making economic support and meal assistance central to the school's daily operations and mission.
The student body is racially and ethnically mixed. White and Hispanic students each make up substantial shares of enrollment, Black students represent a meaningful portion, and smaller groups of students from other backgrounds are present. The specifics matter for families thinking about community feel and peer composition.
State test results show proficiency rates below the state midpoint across the subjects tested. In math, fewer than half of third through fifth graders scored at proficient or above. In English language arts, the proficiency rate was lower still. In science, where a smaller cohort was tested, just over a third met the standard. These are areas where the school is working, and a parent may want to look into further with the school about supports in place, instructional changes underway, or ways the school is targeting growth in these areas. The school serves grades that are tested under North Carolina's End-of-Grade assessment system, so these results are the primary academic measure available.
Lillington itself is a small county seat along the Cape Fear River, positioned between Raleigh and Fayetteville. The town has a real downtown anchored by the Harnett County Courthouse and carries the texture of a working small town rather than a destination. Harnett County government, the school district, healthcare facilities, and some retail and logistics operations form the backbone of employment in the area. The region is on a steep growth trajectory. A signature project is Capeton, a master-planned mixed-use development off the Cape Fear River with residential units, retail, offices, and a greenway trail, with development beginning in early 2025. The town reports many new residential lots approved and platted, signaling that school populations may continue rising and that families moving in are often newcomers to the area.
Harnett County Schools is in a moment of change. The district was removed from the state's low-performing designation after the 2024-25 results showed gains across multiple assessments and progress toward the UNC composite-score benchmark. At the same time, the district is building a new middle school south of Lillington to relieve overcrowding at Harnett Central and Overhills, expected to open fall 2026, which will likely shift middle-school attendance zones. Two of the district's middle schools were selected for a five-year, externally funded school improvement initiative. These shifts frame the broader context: the district is growing, investing, and working on achievement, even as individual schools carry different performance grades.
Boone Trail is a neighborhood elementary school serving the Lillington area's youngest learners. It is small enough that most families will know staff and most teachers will know students well. The economic composition means the school is deeply focused on poverty-responsive instruction and support. Test results show room for growth in core academic skills, particularly in reading. For families considering this school, the questions to ask directly would be about small-group interventions, reading instruction models, how the school supports students working below grade level, and what the school sees as its main academic priorities for the next year or two.
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