Efland Cheeks Elementary

As a reasonably sized elementary campus in Efland, North Carolina, Efland Cheeks Elementary educates 532 students from grades pre-K through 5, overseen by Orange County Schools.

Across the 13 schools in Orange County Schools (6,982 students total), Efland Cheeks Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On the student-mix side, Efland Cheeks Elementary records that the most-represented group is White (33%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. The remainder breaks down as 29% Hispanic, 24% Black, 9% multiracial, 5% Asian. By comparison, Orange County as a whole is about 69% White, so the school skews noticeably less White than its surroundings.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Efland Cheeks Elementary lists 36 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 14.8:1. The state averages about 14.9:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. An estimated 99% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is noticeably above Orange County's rate of about 40%.

With demographic context factored in, Efland Cheeks Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 48.5% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 61.3%.

In the broader community, Orange County reports that median household income runs about $90,089, roughly 62% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 5%. Across Orange County's 38 public schools (combined enrollment of about 19,582 students), Efland Cheeks Elementary is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Gravelly Hill Middle, roughly 1.0 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Efland Cheeks Elementary ranks 2nd on composite proficiency, higher than the local average of 57.5%.

The school occupies a bedroom-community site.

Over the past 7-year window. Over the past 7-year window, the student count expanded 27%: 418 students in 2018 compared to 532 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 45% to 33% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio widened from 12.4:1 in 2018 to 14.8:1 today.

Inside the community feed, recent activity here tends to focus on classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.