Best Public Schools in Maxton, NC

Maxton, North Carolina is served by three public elementary schools — Prospect Elementary, Oxendine Elementary, and Townsend Elementary — all within the Public Schools of Robeson County, a district ranked in the 23rd percentile statewide. These schools serve grades PK–8, PK–6, and PK–5 respectively, enroll roughly 1,350 students combined, and nearly all students (about 99%) qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Prospect Elementary is the clear standout: it holds the best ranking (#892 of 1,492, 40th percentile), has the lowest student-teacher ratio (14.9), and is the only Maxton school with better attendance than the district (30.5% chronic absenteeism versus 42.1%). It exceeds the district in every tested grade in math and reading, with especially strong middle-grade results — 77.8% proficiency in 8th grade math and 78.9% in 8th grade science. Oxendine Elementary was the highest-ranked Maxton school last year (44th percentile) but fell to the 31st percentile in 2025-2026. It excels in math — 65.8% proficiency in 4th grade — but struggles with reading; 5th grade reading fell to just 25.9%, and it has the highest chronic absenteeism rate at 47.0%. Townsend Elementary ranks lowest of the three but improved dramatically from the 3rd to the 23rd percentile, driven by strong 3rd grade scores (81.8% math, 65.9% reading). However, its 4th and 5th grade scores collapse to roughly 15–23%, far below district averages.

Across Maxton, chronic absenteeism tracks with performance: Prospect Elementary has the best attendance and the strongest academics, while Oxendine Elementary's high absenteeism aligns with its reading struggles. Reading is the biggest area of need — even Prospect Elementary falls below 50% proficiency in grades 3–5, and Townsend Elementary's 5th grade reading is just 17.6%. Spending does not align with results: Townsend Elementary spends the most per student ($12,374) yet performs the weakest, while Prospect Elementary spends the least ($9,609) and performs the best. For parents, Prospect Elementary is the strongest, most stable choice, with standout math and science through 8th grade. Oxendine Elementary offers solid math instruction but needs reading improvement, and Townsend Elementary is the highest priority for intervention, as its promising 3rd grade gains fade by grades 4 and 5.