Summary:
Edgecombe County Public Schools serves 5 high schools — three traditional comprehensive schools and two smaller specialty schools — all serving grades 9–12 in a rural eastern North Carolina district where the vast majority of students (96% to nearly 100%) come from economically disadvantaged households, and the district as a whole is ranked 215th of 246 in the state with a 1-star rating.
The most important thing to know is that this district has two very different stories. Edgecombe Early College High is a standout, ranking in the 88th percentile statewide with proficiency rates over 86% in every tested subject and a 100% Math III proficiency rate; EDGE Academy of Health Sciences is close behind, ranking in the 83rd percentile. Meanwhile, SouthWest Edgecombe High, Tarboro High, and North Edgecombe High all rank in the bottom 10% of North Carolina schools. The specialty schools achieve this despite poverty levels nearly identical to the traditional schools, making the comparison striking. Graduation rates at the traditional schools range from just 71.1% at North Edgecombe High to 86.0% at SouthWest Edgecombe High, while chronic absenteeism is dramatically higher at Tarboro High (46.0%) and North Edgecombe High (42.9%) compared to just 8.7% at Edgecombe Early College.
Parents should focus on a few key concerns. Math I is the biggest academic weakness at traditional schools, where only 6.3% to 13.8% of students are proficient versus 90% at Edgecombe Early College. North Edgecombe High deserves special attention since it spends the most per student ($16,211) yet has the lowest graduation rate. The good news is that some traditional schools are improving, including big gains in Biology at both Tarboro and North Edgecombe, and the chronic absenteeism problem at Tarboro and North Edgecombe is a clear target for improvement. Overall, families should be aware of the strong options at the specialty schools while recognizing the challenges facing the traditional high schools.
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