Top Rankings
Harnett County Schools School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 24 public elementary schools serving 13,696 students in Harnett County Schools School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in North Carolina.
Public Elementary Schools in Harnett County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 38% (versus the North Carolina public elementary school average of 50%), and reading proficiency score of 40% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 61% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the North Carolina public elementary school average of 57% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
29 Schools
2,174 Schools
# Students
20,032 Students
1,091,007 Students
# Teachers
1,274 Teachers
73,903 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
District Rank
Harnett County Schools School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 320 school districts in North Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 86% has increased from 81% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#241 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)

Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
38%
51%

Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
41%
50%

Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
54%
63%

Graduation Rate
86%
86%

Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.71
0.72
# American Indian Students
113 Students
12,383 Students
% American Indian Students
1%
1%
# Asian Students
161 Students
47,310 Students
% Asian Students
1%
4%
# Hispanic Students
5,467 Students
227,576 Students
% Hispanic Students
27%
21%
# Black Students
4,857 Students
268,051 Students
% Black Students
24%
25%
# White Students
7,882 Students
465,086 Students
% White Students
39%
43%
# Hawaiian Students
64 Students
1,488 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
1,489 Students
69,126 Students
% of Two or more races Students
8%
6%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
270
23,192
# Students in K Grade:
1,463
109,971
# Students in 1st Grade:
1,501
114,331
# Students in 2nd Grade:
1,536
118,121
# Students in 3rd Grade:
1,420
111,941
# Students in 4th Grade:
1,531
114,493
# Students in 5th Grade:
1,448
115,565
# Students in 6th Grade:
1,468
116,023
# Students in 7th Grade:
1,475
113,393
# Students in 8th Grade:
1,505
115,504
# Students in 9th Grade:
1,915
11,612
# Students in 10th Grade:
1,590
10,182
# Students in 11th Grade:
1,600
8,704
# Students in 12th Grade:
1,310
7,975
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $9,523 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,187. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $9,670 is less than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$191 MM
$17,307 MM

Spending
$194 MM
$17,964 MM

Revenue / Student
$9,523
$11,187

Spending / Student
$9,670
$11,612

Best Harnett County Schools School District Public Elementary Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Benhaven Elementary School
(Math: 65% | Reading: 57%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
520 Olive Farm Dr
Sanford, NC 27332
(919) 499-4811
Sanford, NC 27332
(919) 499-4811
Grades: PK-5
| 1,031 students
Rank: #22.
Northwest Harnett Elementary School
(Math: 61% | Reading: 46%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
736 Rollins Road
Fuquay Varina, NC 27526
(919) 552-4547
Fuquay Varina, NC 27526
(919) 552-4547
Grades: PK-5
| 553 students
Rank: #33.
Buies Creek Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
340 Main Street
Buies Creek, NC 27506
(910) 893-3505
Buies Creek, NC 27506
(910) 893-3505
Grades: K-5
| 230 students
Rank: #44.
Western Harnett Middle School
(Math: 44% | Reading: 48%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
11135 Nc Hwy 27 West
Lillington, NC 27546
(919) 499-4497
Lillington, NC 27546
(919) 499-4497
Grades: 6-8
| 766 students
Rank: #55.
Overhills Middle School
(Math: 36% | Reading: 45%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
2711 Ray Road
Spring Lake, NC 28390
(910) 436-0009
Spring Lake, NC 28390
(910) 436-0009
Grades: 6-8
| 829 students
Rank: #66.
Highland Middle School
(Math: 41% | Reading: 41%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
345 Highland School Rd
Sanford, NC 27332
(919) 498-3331
Sanford, NC 27332
(919) 498-3331
Grades: 6-8
| 803 students
Rank: #77.
Harnett Virtual Academy
(Math: 15-19% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
108 Lafayette School Road
Fuquay Varina, NC 27526
(919) 552-0769
Fuquay Varina, NC 27526
(919) 552-0769
Grades: K-12
| 123 students
Rank: #88.
Highland Elementary School
(Math: 36% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
1915 Buffalo Lake Road
Sanford, NC 27330
(919) 499-2200
Sanford, NC 27330
(919) 499-2200
Grades: K-5
| 894 students
Rank: #99.
Dunn Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
800 W Harnett St
Dunn, NC 28334
(910) 892-0126
Dunn, NC 28334
(910) 892-0126
Grades: PK-5
| 799 students
Rank: #1010.
Boone Trail Elementary School
(Math: 42% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
1425 Adcock Road
Mamers, NC 27552
(910) 893-4013
Mamers, NC 27552
(910) 893-4013
Grades: PK-5
| 533 students
Rank: #1111.
Harnett Central Middle School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
2529 Harnett Central Rd
Angier, NC 27501
(919) 639-6000
Angier, NC 27501
(919) 639-6000
Grades: 6-8
| 999 students
Rank: #1212.
Coats-erwin Middle School
(Math: 31% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
2833 Nc Hwy 55e
Dunn, NC 28334
(910) 230-0300
Dunn, NC 28334
(910) 230-0300
Grades: 6-8
| 609 students
Rank: #1313.
Overhills Elementary School
(Math: 35% | Reading: 35%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
2626 Ray Road
Spring Lake, NC 28390
(910) 436-3545
Spring Lake, NC 28390
(910) 436-3545
Grades: PK-5
| 897 students
Rank: #1414.
Lillington-shawtown Elementary School
(Math: 33% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
855 Old Us 421
Lillington, NC 27546
(910) 893-3483
Lillington, NC 27546
(910) 893-3483
Grades: PK-5
| 678 students
Rank: #1515.
South Harnett Elementary School
(Math: 35% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
8335 Nc 210 South
Bunnlevel, NC 28323
(910) 893-9153
Bunnlevel, NC 28323
(910) 893-9153
Grades: 3-5
| 434 students
Rank: #1616.
Johnsonville Elementary School
(Math: 31% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
18495 Nc Hwy 27 West
Cameron, NC 28326
(919) 499-4912
Cameron, NC 28326
(919) 499-4912
Grades: PK-5
| 471 students
Rank: #1717.
Dunn Middle School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
1301 Meadowlark Road
Dunn, NC 28334
(910) 892-1016
Dunn, NC 28334
(910) 892-1016
Grades: 6-8
| 399 students
Rank: #1818.
Angier Elementary School
(Math: 32% | Reading: 27%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
130 E Mciver St
Angier, NC 27501
(919) 639-2635
Angier, NC 27501
(919) 639-2635
Grades: 3-5
| 359 students
Rank: #1919.
Coats Elementary School
(Math: 29% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
585 Brick Mill Road
Coats, NC 27521
(910) 897-8353
Coats, NC 27521
(910) 897-8353
Grades: PK-5
| 653 students
Rank: #2020.
Erwin Elementary School
(Math: 24% | Reading: 29%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
405 Denim Dr.
Erwin, NC 28339
(910) 897-7178
Erwin, NC 28339
(910) 897-7178
Grades: PK-5
| 590 students
Rank: #2121.
Star Academy
Alternative School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
900 11th Street
Lillington, NC 27546
(910) 893-4072
Lillington, NC 27546
(910) 893-4072
Grades: 6-12
| 23 students
Rank: n/an/a
914 Anderson Creek Sch Rd
Bunnlevel, NC 28323
(910) 893-4523
Bunnlevel, NC 28323
(910) 893-4523
Grades: PK-2
| 568 students
Rank: n/an/a
108 Lafayette School Rd
Fuquay Varina, NC 27526
(919) 552-4353
Fuquay Varina, NC 27526
(919) 552-4353
Grades: K-5
| 122 students
Rank: n/an/a
282 N Harnett School Rd
Angier, NC 27501
(919) 639-4480
Angier, NC 27501
(919) 639-4480
Grades: PK-2
| 333 students
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