Sugar Loaf Elementary

Summary:

Sugar Loaf Elementary is a public elementary school in Taylorsville, North Carolina, serving 206 students in grades K-5 and part of the Alexander County Schools district.

While Sugar Loaf Elementary consistently outperforms the district and state in mathematics and science proficiency, with 70.6% of 3rd graders proficient in math compared to 59.8% for the district and 62.7% for the state, it is not the top-performing school in the immediate area. Bethlehem Elementary, located about 11 miles away, consistently ranks higher and has stronger test scores across the board. Additionally, Sugar Loaf Elementary has seen a significant increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 36.54% in 2021-2022 to 55.83% in 2022-2023, indicating a growing population of economically disadvantaged students.

Another notable aspect of Sugar Loaf Elementary is its racial makeup, with 89.32% of students being white, significantly higher than the surrounding schools like Stony Point Elementary (67.63% white) and Taylorsville Elementary (55.46% white). This racial homogeneity may be an area worth further investigation to understand its potential impact on the school's culture and educational outcomes. Despite these challenges, Sugar Loaf Elementary maintains a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 15.3 to 16 over the past three school years, which could be a strength of the school.


Detail:

Public K-5

 3600 NC Hwy 16N
       Taylorsville, NC  28681-9126


(828) 632-2192

District: Alexander County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
839th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,272 Help


Students who attend Sugar Loaf Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    East Alexander Middle
High:    Alexander Central High

Student/teacher ratio:  15.3 Help
Number of students:  194

Racial breakdown:

White:
83.5%
African American:
5.7%
Two or more races:
5.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  98.5% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

 Compare Sugar Loaf Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Sugar Loaf Elementary ranks worse than 55.7% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 3rd among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Alexander County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 44.76. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Sugar Loaf Elementary has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Alexander County Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (83.5%), African American (5.7%), two or more races (5.2%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 98.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Alexander County Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sugar Loaf Elementary is 15.3. 4 elementary schools in the Alexander County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Sugar Loaf Elementary employs 12.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sugar Loaf Elementary is $10,272. 4 elementary schools in the Alexander County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sugar Loaf Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Sugar Loaf Elementary 839th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Sugar Loaf Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Alexander County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Alexander County Schools 104th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Sugar Loaf Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Sugar Loaf Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 59.54 548th 1276 57.1%
2007 55.66 638th 1293 50.7%
2008 68.95 369th 1324 72.1%
2009 69.32 414th 1354 69.4%
2010 76.41 271st 1363 80.1%
2011 69.79 407th 1381 70.5%
2012 69.72 415th 1388 70.1%
2013 70.06 354th 1403 74.8%
2014 68.83 413th 1390 70.3%
2015 75.56 312th 1440 78.3%
2016 65.95 456th 1425 68.0%
2017 63.69 513th 1429 64.1%
2018 76.70 282nd 1434 80.3%
2019 70.19 403rd 1473 72.6%
2021 66.52 449th 1489 69.8%
2022 61.02 568th 1514 62.5%
2023 76.14 297th 1502 80.2%
2024 44.76 839th 1505 44.3%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sugar Loaf Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 86.34 80th 1332 94.0%
2019 76.44 202nd 1361 85.2%
2021 78.91 167th 1329 87.4%
2022 73.61 230th 1366 83.2%
2023 84.63 98th 1437 93.2%
2024 54.51 608th 1450 58.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sugar Loaf Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.27 388th 1405 72.4%
2019 71.68 355th 1424 75.1%
2021 55.33 602nd 1440 58.2%
2022 64.19 474th 1458 67.5%
2023 74.52 307th 1459 79.0%
2024 46.66 771st 1455 47.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sugar Loaf Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.71 201st 1413 85.8%
2019 68.22 408th 1430 71.5%
2021 71.95 361st 1444 75.0%
2022 56.03 626th 1464 57.2%
2023 73.56 320th 1461 78.1%
2024 43.24 848th 1464 42.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Sugar Loaf Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.41 516th 1178 56.2%
2019 54.22 546th 1183 53.8%
2021 43.52 671st 1172 42.7%
2022 38.01 792nd 1194 33.7%
2023 60.12 461st 1183 61.0%
2024 24.34 978th 1166 16.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Sugar Loaf Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Sugar Loaf Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 237 30 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 267
1989 262 26 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 288
1990 266 21 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 289
1991 261 10 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 273
1992 253 9 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 262
1993 245 7 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 252
1994 234 4 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 238
1995 229 1 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 231
1996 229 1 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 231
1997 236 2 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 239
1998 227 1 4 0 1 n/a n/a 0 233
1999 229 2 5 0 0 n/a n/a 0 236
2000 239 3 10 0 0 n/a n/a 0 252
2001 258 7 3 0 0 n/a n/a 0 268
2002 237 8 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 249
2003 237 8 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 249
2004 249 16 2 4 0 n/a n/a 0 271
2005 255 15 0 5 1 n/a n/a 0 276
2006 253 16 0 8 1 n/a n/a 0 278
2007 251 5 0 9 0 n/a n/a 6 271
2008 264 4 0 6 1 n/a n/a 7 282
2009 259 12 0 6 0 n/a n/a 0 277
2010 265 8 0 6 1 n/a n/a 0 280
2011 257 3 0 16 1 0 6 0 283
2012 261 4 2 15 1 0 8 0 291
2013 265 4 2 15 1 0 8 0 295
2014 242 3 3 15 1 0 11 0 275
2015 217 2 2 9 0 0 9 0 239
2016 194 4 2 13 0 0 14 0 227
2017 208 4 2 12 0 0 12 0 238
2018 208 5 1 13 0 0 9 0 236
2019 190 5 0 14 0 0 9 0 218
2020 183 9 0 13 0 0 26 0 231
2021 191 7 0 8 0 0 9 0 215
2022 183 4 1 8 0 0 12 0 208
2023 184 4 1 6 1 0 10 0 206
2024 162 11 1 9 1 0 10 0 194

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Sugar Loaf Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 267 13.0 20.5 15.4
1989 288 13.0 22.1 21.2
1990 289 13.0 22.2 17.3
1991 273 13.0 21.0 18.3
1992 262 13.0 20.1 14.1
1993 252 13.0 19.4 15.9
1994 238 12.0 19.8 21.8
1995 231 12.0 19.3 13.4
1996 231 12.0 19.3 13.4
1997 239 12.0 19.9 14.2
1998 233 14.0 16.6 17.2
1999 236 12.0 19.7 28.8
2000 252 13.0 19.4 29.8
2001 268 13.0 20.6 n/a
2002 249 13.0 19.2 35.3
2003 249 13.0 19.2 35.3
2004 271 15.0 18.1 35.8
2005 276 15.0 18.4 39.9
2006 278 17.0 16.4 40.3
2007 271 n/a n/a 44.2
2008 282 16.0 17.6 42.5
2009 277 17.0 16.3 40.4
2010 280 16.0 17.5 51.8
2011 283 17.0 16.6 54.8
2012 291 16.0 18.1 53.3
2013 295 17.0 17.3 52.9
2014 275 16.0 17.1 49.5
2015 239 15.0 15.9 45.2
2016 227 14.0 16.2 52
2017 238 13.0 18.3 52.9
2018 236 14.0 16.8 41.5
2019 218 13.0 16.7 40.4
2020 231 14.0 16.5 41.6
2021 215 14.0 15.3 47.9
2022 208 13.0 16.0 36.5
2023 206 13.0 15.8 55.8
2024 194 12.6 15.3 98.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Sugar Loaf Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 267 13.0 20.5 15.4
1989 288 13.0 22.1 21.2
1990 289 13.0 22.2 17.3
1991 273 13.0 21.0 18.3
1992 262 13.0 20.1 14.1
1993 252 13.0 19.4 15.9
1994 238 12.0 19.8 21.8
1995 231 12.0 19.3 13.4
1996 231 12.0 19.3 13.4
1997 239 12.0 19.9 14.2
1998 233 14.0 16.6 17.2
1999 236 12.0 19.7 28.8
2000 252 13.0 19.4 29.8
2001 268 13.0 20.6 n/a
2002 249 13.0 19.2 35.3
2003 249 13.0 19.2 35.3
2004 271 15.0 18.1 35.8
2005 276 15.0 18.4 39.9
2006 278 17.0 16.4 40.3
2007 271 n/a n/a 44.2
2008 282 16.0 17.6 42.5
2009 277 17.0 16.3 40.4
2010 280 16.0 17.5 51.8
2011 283 17.0 16.6 54.8
2012 291 16.0 18.1 53.3
2013 295 17.0 17.3 52.9
2014 275 16.0 17.1 49.5
2015 239 15.0 15.9 45.2
2016 227 14.0 16.2 52
2017 238 13.0 18.3 52.9
2018 236 14.0 16.8 41.5
2019 218 13.0 16.7 40.4
2020 231 14.0 16.5 41.6
2021 215 14.0 15.3 47.9
2022 208 13.0 16.0 36.5
2023 206 13.0 15.8 55.8
2024 194 12.6 15.3 98.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Sugar Loaf Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $854 (8.3%) $9,417 (91.7%) $10,272

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sugar Loaf Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 403rd of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 297th of 1502 Elementary schools
 7.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Sugar Loaf Elementary)80.677.1
 3.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Alexander County Schools)69.861.2
 8.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Sugar Loaf Elementary)80.651.4
 29.2%
   3rd Grade Reading (Alexander County Schools)6549.5
 15.5%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Sugar Loaf Elementary)69.265.6
 3.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Alexander County Schools)68.258.7
 9.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Sugar Loaf Elementary)51.371.9
 20.6%
   4th Grade Reading (Alexander County Schools)59.657.2
 2.4%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Sugar Loaf Elementary)89.773.5
 16.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Alexander County Schools)71.562.5
 9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Sugar Loaf Elementary)62.155.9
 6.2%
   5th Grade Reading (Alexander County Schools)5550.8
 4.2%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Sugar Loaf Elementary)65.576.5
 11%
   5th Grade Science (Alexander County Schools)7172.8
 1.8%
   5th Grade Science (North Carolina)72.665.3
 7.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students218206
 5.5%
African American54
 20%
American Indian01
Asian01
Hispanic146
 57.1%
Pacific Islander00
White190184
 3.2%
Two or More Races910
 11.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients40.4%55.8%
 15.5%


Schools Near Sugar Loaf Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Sugar Loaf Elementary

Sugar Loaf Elementary ranks 839th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Sugar Loaf Elementary are 84% White, 6% African American, 5% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic.

Students who attend Sugar Loaf Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : East Alexander Middle
High : Alexander Central High

In the 2023-24 school year, 194 students attended Sugar Loaf Elementary.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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