Summary:
Chocowinity, North Carolina is served by three public schools in Beaufort County Schools, covering grades PK through 12 and enrolling about 1,260 students across Chocowinity Primary (PK–4), Chocowinity Middle (5–8), and Southside High (9–12). These schools serve a very high-poverty community, with nearly all students eligible for free/reduced-price lunch.
The clear standout is Chocowinity Primary, which ranks in the top 5% of North Carolina elementary schools and earns 5 stars despite a 98.76% poverty rate. Its test scores far exceed district and state averages; for example, 3rd grade math proficiency is 88.9% versus 66.4% statewide. Chocowinity Middle is a steady mid-tier school at the 60th percentile, with math as a clear strength—average math proficiency across grades 5–8 is about 68.6%, while reading averages only 53.8%. Southside High is the most challenged school, ranking at the 35th percentile with a graduation rate of 81.2% (compared to 88.8% statewide). Its weakest subject is Biology, at 30.9% proficient versus 58.5% statewide, although Math III exceeds the state average.
A striking pattern is the academic slide from elementary to high school, despite similar poverty levels. Chronic absenteeism rises with grade level: 22.4% at the primary, 31.9% at the middle, and 34.4% at the high school—closely tracking the decline in performance. On a positive note, Southside High improved in every End-of-Course subject from the prior year, including a jump in Math I from 29.5% to 42.2%. Meanwhile, spending and class sizes do not clearly explain outcomes: Southside High spends the most per student ($12,556) yet has the weakest results, while Chocowinity Primary spends less and performs far better. The key opportunities for this community are reducing chronic absenteeism in upper grades, boosting reading and science instruction, and understanding why strong early success fades as students advance.
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