The top reported proficiency rate is 65% in Math. The lowest is 62% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Don D Steed Elementary
Don D Steed Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Raeford, a small county seat in the heart of fast-growing Hoke County. The school enrolls a student body that is economically and racially diverse, with nearly all students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is substantial for an elementary school serving early grades, spread across pre-K through fifth grade with healthy class sizes at each level.
The school's student population is racially mixed, with roughly equal representation of white and Black students, a notable Hispanic contingent, students identifying as multiracial, and smaller populations of Native American and Asian students. This diversity reflects broader migration patterns in the region, including growth tied to Fort Bragg (Fort Liberty) and an established Lumbee Indian community. The school operates in a district that is actively growing and investing: Hoke County High School is undergoing a major on-site replacement with new science, engineering, and flexible learning spaces, part of the county's response to rapid population growth. That trajectory affects the whole district's momentum and resource allocation.
On academic measures, Don D Steed's most recent state testing data shows math proficiency around the mid-60s and English language arts proficiency in the low 60s among students in grades three through five. Science proficiency, measured only in fifth grade as part of the state assessment cycle, came in at about the mid-60s as well. These results place the school at a point where a majority of tested students are meeting state proficiency standards, but a meaningful share are not. Math is the strongest subject by a modest margin. The data reflects a single year of testing, and science cut scores changed from the prior assessment edition, so direct year-to-year trends are not available in the current dataset.
Raeford itself is a sparse suburban and small-town setting with a historic downtown anchored by the Hoke County Courthouse and local businesses. The city serves as the county seat and draws daily life around state and U.S. highways rather than continuous walkable neighborhoods. Housing is relatively affordable for the region: median home values in the Raeford zip code sit below the state average, and median rents are similarly modest, making the area accessible for families seeking lower-cost entry into a growing market. Homeownership is the norm. The property tax environment is stable through at least the end of the decade, having been set during a 2022 county revaluation with the next reassessment not scheduled until 2030.
Major employers shaping the area include the Butterball turkey processing operation, the Burlington Industries Raeford Plant producing military textiles, Hoke County Schools and government, FirstHealth of the Carolinas, and Fort Bragg. This mix of manufacturing, agriculture, public sector work, and military ties gives the economy a traditional small-county character. The Hoke County Public Library offers family programming and computer access downtown, and Hoke Area Transit provides countywide demand-response service during extended hours.
Growth is visible and ongoing. Builders list dozens of new-home communities across Hoke County, including subdivisions in and around Raeford, and civic leaders publicly describe a "renaissance of downtown Raeford" alongside school expansions. That growth momentum means the school population is likely to shift over the coming years as new families arrive. For a parent considering this school, the question is not whether it is the strongest performer in the state, but whether this is the kind of setting and community fit they are seeking: a diverse, economically stretched school in an active growth zone, with academic proficiency near or above mid-range and a district making substantial visible investments in its facilities and future.
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