The top reported proficiency rate is 78% in Science. The lowest is 55% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Carthage Elementary
Carthage Elementary serves children in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in a small North Carolina town anchored by a historic courthouse square and a community experiencing residential growth. The school sits on the south edge of town next to a nine-acre public park, serving families with limited resources and a student body that is predominantly white but includes meaningful populations of Black, Hispanic, and multiracial children.
This is a school in economic need. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a threshold that typically signals concentrated poverty and that shapes both how the school operates and the kind of support families expect from it. The enrollment is small relative to the grade span, roughly similar in size across grades K through 5, with notably larger numbers than might be typical in pre-K.
In state end-of-grade testing for grades 3 through 5, the school's academic standing is mixed. In math, students achieved a proficiency rate somewhat below the typical threshold often associated with strong elementary performance. Reading and language arts proficiency was lower still. Science proficiency, by contrast, was markedly stronger, well above the point where a majority of tested students met or exceeded standards. Science assessments in North Carolina underwent changes to the test structure and scoring this year, so direct comparison to prior years is not available; a parent may want to look into where that strength is coming from and whether it reflects classroom instruction, test familiarity, or some other factor.
The district is on the eve of major change. Moore County Schools is planning to replace Carthage Elementary, originally built in the 1970s, with a new building on a different site outside town limits. Voters will decide on a school bond referendum in November 2026, which will determine whether that project moves forward and what property tax impact it carries. In the near term, Carthage Elementary remains the existing building and program; the current uncertainty around its future is something parents should be aware of as they consider the school.
Carthage itself is growing. New residential subdivisions are under development, with homes at various price points, and the town has recently reorganized its zoning rules to accommodate that growth. The housing market near the school is moderately priced relative to state and national benchmarks. Rents are accessible, and monthly housing costs—whether for purchase or rental—remain below what many families in the region spend. Moore County as a whole is growing faster than North Carolina overall and is expected to add population significantly over the next decade.
The district has invested in new elementary schools elsewhere in the county over the past few years, replacing much older buildings in the southern portions of Moore County where growth has been strongest. It has also opened Moore Innovative High School on the Sandhills Community College campus, a tuition-free dual-credit pathway for students interested in skilled trades, adding an alternative credential route that was not available before. These moves suggest a district trying to modernize facilities and expand pathways even as it tackles aging buildings like Carthage Elementary.
The school's peer group across the county operates in a context of modest resources, growth management, and a student population heavily concentrated in free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility across the board. Carthage Elementary's test results do not compare against other schools on the page; meaningful performance data would come from direct conversation with the school and district about where students are improving, what support is available for families, and what the transition to a new building might bring.
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