High Schools in Beaufort County Schools

Beaufort County Schools operates four high schools serving grades 9–12, with a total of 1,864 students across a predominantly rural eastern North Carolina region that is notable for its high poverty levels. The schools differ dramatically in performance, and parents should know that the district’s average ranking hides a wide range of outcomes: Beaufort County Early College High ranks in the top 5% statewide with near-universal test proficiency and the lowest chronic absenteeism (9.2%), while Washington High, the largest school with 794 students, ranks in the bottom 13% and struggles in math, with only 23.2% proficient in Math I. All four schools share nearly identical free/reduced lunch rates (98.9%–99.6%), so family income as measured by lunch eligibility does not explain these gaps.

Among the traditional high schools, Northside High is the strongest choice, with a 90.8% graduation rate (the highest reported), a 58th percentile state ranking, chronic absenteeism of just 17.5%, and proficiency above state averages in Biology, Math I, and Math III. Southside High is improving quickly—gaining 8 to 12 points in every End-of-Course subject last year—but its 81.2% graduation rate is the lowest in the county and over a third of its students are chronically absent, signaling that persistence and attendance remain serious challenges. Washington High has the lowest rankings: graduation is 86.0%, chronic absenteeism is 34.0%, and every EOC proficiency rate falls below district and state averages. One positive sign there is Biology proficiency jumping 16 points to 45.3%, but math remains a critical weakness.

Attendance tracks performance closely: the two schools with the lowest chronic absenteeism (Beaufort County Early College High at 9.2% and Northside High at 17.5%) are the highest achievers, while Washington and Southside both lose about one in three students to chronic absenteeism. Spending and class-size data offer no simple answers—the Early College spends the least per student and has the largest reported student-teacher ratio yet achieves the best results. For parents, the clearest takeaways are that the Early College is an exceptional academic environment, Northside is a solid traditional option, Southside is trending upward but needs improvement in graduation rates, and Washington High requires urgent attention, especially in math and attendance.