Elementary Schools in Craven County Board of Education

Summary:

The Craven County Board of Education in North Carolina oversees 15 elementary schools, serving students from kindergarten through 5th grade. The schools vary significantly in size, with student populations ranging from 226 to 528. While some schools in the district excel academically, others face challenges that impact student performance.

Among the top-performing elementary schools in the district are Creekside Elementary, which consistently ranks among the top 150 schools in North Carolina and has a 5-star rating, and W Jesse Gurganus Elementary, another 5-star school with exceptional test scores, including 100% of 3rd graders proficient in math. Albert H Bangert Elementary also performs well, ranking in the top 300 schools statewide and earning a 4- or 5-star rating.

However, some schools in the district face significant socioeconomic challenges, with over 95% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch at schools like Vanceboro-Farm Life Elementary, Oaks Road Academy, and J.T. Barber Elementary. These schools struggle with student performance, particularly in reading and math. While per-student spending varies across the district, there does not appear to be a clear correlation between funding and academic outcomes.

District Detail

3600 Trent Road
New Bern, NC 28562-2224

(252) 514-6300

SchoolDigger Rank:
128^th of 242 North Carolina districts

See the 2025 North Carolina District rankings!

Grades served: PK, KG-13
Students: 12,152

Primary Schools: 15
Middle Schools: 5
High Schools: 5
Alternative Schools: 1

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOG Mathematics (2025)			EOG Reading (2025)			EOG Science (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Albert H Bangert Elementary	Public	K-5	3712 Canterbury Road	New Bern	28562	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 514-6415	446	26	17.4	98.9%	232 (52.0%)	115 (25.8%)	27 (6.1%)	41 (9.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (7.0%)	78.6	267^th of 1490 public elementary schools	82.1%		88.3	138^th of 1505 public elementary schools	90.8%	129	84.4	79.7	60.9	56.3	69.6	59.4	84.1	$10,592	$1,583	$9,009
Bridgeton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	230 Branch Canal Road	New Bern	28560	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 514-6425	415	30	14.0	95.2%	257 (61.9%)	62 (14.9%)	53 (12.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (10.1%)	40.5	908^th of 1490 public elementary schools	39.1%		50.9	734^th of 1505 public elementary schools	51.2%	174	60.7	69.4	45.3	45.9	56.5	37.5	42.2	$8,354	$-1,566	$9,920
Graham A Barden Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Cedar Drive	Havelock	28532	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 444-5100	237	17	14.0	92.0%	101 (42.6%)	44 (18.6%)	61 (25.7%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	26 (11.0%)	26.1	1152^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	22.7%		27.5	1153^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	23.4%	1	43.8	26.9	20.0	34.4	69.2	45.0	45.0	$11,632	$1,529	$10,103
J.T. Barber Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1700 Cobb Street	New Bern	28560	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 514-6460	270	22	12.3	96.3%	28 (10.4%)	159 (58.9%)	29 (10.7%)	32 (11.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.9%)	17 (6.3%)	19.9	1283^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	13.9%		8	1446^th of 1505 public elementary schools	3.9%	163	52.2	30.8	34.4	34.8	41.0	31.3	53.1	$12,629	$2,198	$10,432
Brinson Memorial Elementary	Public	K-5	319 Neuse Forest Avenue	New Bern	28560	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 514-6431	446	29	15.4	97.5%	228 (51.1%)	86 (19.3%)	79 (17.7%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	45 (10.1%)	55.5	644^th of 1490 public elementary schools	56.8%		73.3	354^th of 1505 public elementary schools	76.5%	290	57.4	61.9	60.3	55.7	57.1	53.8	60.3	$11,008	$1,379	$9,629
Vanceboro-Farm Life Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2000 Farm Life Avenue	Vanceboro	28586	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 244-3215	494	31	15.6	98.2%	227 (46.0%)	164 (33.2%)	54 (10.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	45 (9.1%)	21.2	1257^th of 1490 public elementary schools	15.6%		38.8	955^th of 1505 public elementary schools	36.5%	302	57.6	29.8	52.6	28.8	41.7	30.8	46.2	$10,168	$1,737	$8,430
Havelock Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	201 Cunningham Boulevard	Havelock	28532	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 444-5106	248	20	12.6	93.5%	100 (40.3%)	58 (23.4%)	33 (13.3%)	6 (2.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (20.2%)	41.3	894^th of 1490 public elementary schools	40.0%		33.2	1044^th of 1505 public elementary schools	30.6%	150	59.4	26.7	66.7	40.6	44.4	57.6	66.7	$12,745	$1,955	$10,790
Oaks Road Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	2811 Oaks Road	New Bern	28560	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 514-6475	352	20	17.2	96.0%	65 (18.5%)	115 (32.7%)	107 (30.4%)	28 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	35 (9.9%)	18.6	1303^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	12.6%		17.8	1313^th of 1505 public elementary schools	12.8%	10	50.0	18.5	51.9	29.5	30.8	44.4	42.6	$11,730	$2,052	$9,678
Roger Bell New Technical Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	804 Fontana Boulevard	Havelock	28532	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 444-5133	408	24	16.8	97.8%	186 (45.6%)	101 (24.8%)	45 (11.0%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	73 (17.9%)	58.5	591^st of 1490 public elementary schools	60.3%		55.9	646^th of 1505 public elementary schools	57.1%	55	71.8	48.4	63.5	43.7	62.9	55.6	69.8	$11,854	$1,590	$10,264
Trent Park Elementary	Public	K-5	2500 Educational Drive	New Bern	28562	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 514-6481	390	23	17.0	96.2%	73 (18.7%)	120 (30.8%)	61 (15.6%)	84 (21.5%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	50 (12.8%)	50.7	738^th of 1490 public elementary schools	50.5%		41.3	906^th of 1505 public elementary schools	39.8%	168	63.6	43.2	63.8	47.0	58.1	47.8	68.1	$10,573	$1,532	$9,042
Arthur W Edwards Elementary	Public	K-5	200 Education Lane	Havelock	28532	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 444-5140	489	33	14.8	48.5%	275 (56.2%)	48 (9.8%)	104 (21.3%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	54 (11.0%)	40.1	913^th of 1490 public elementary schools	38.7%		57.9	619^th of 1505 public elementary schools	58.9%	294	52.7	46.8	51.3	44.1	48.4	58.8	53.8	$9,857	$1,096	$8,761
James W Smith Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	150 Koonce Town Road	Cove City	28523	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 514-6466	325	23	14.0	96.6%	125 (38.5%)	114 (35.1%)	57 (17.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (8.9%)	48.6	765^th of 1490 public elementary schools	48.7%		38.5	962^nd of 1505 public elementary schools	36.1%	197	64.7	38.1	60.4	51.0	57.1	45.8	62.5	$12,531	$1,671	$10,860
Ben D. Quinn Elementary	Public	K-5	4275 M L King Jr Boulevard	New Bern	28562	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 514-6420	312	18	17.4	93.9%	119 (38.1%)	95 (30.4%)	30 (9.6%)	36 (11.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	31 (9.9%)	47.9	783^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	47.4%		61.6	550^th of 1505 public elementary schools	63.5%	233	71.2	39.6	50.0	50.8	52.8	55.8	57.7	$10,815	$1,386	$9,430
W Jesse Gurganus Elementary	Public	K-5	535 Hwy 70 W	Havelock	28532	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 444-5150	340	25	13.8	46.2%	207 (60.9%)	29 (8.5%)	50 (14.7%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.2%)	47 (13.8%)	88	138^th of 1490 public elementary schools	90.7%		88.3	137^th of 1505 public elementary schools	90.9%	1	100.0	68.8	78.9	86.0	79.7	67.6	80.3	$10,110	$977	$9,133
Creekside Elementary	Public	K-5	2790 Landscape Drive	New Bern	28562	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	No	(252) 514-4360	453	31	14.3	27.8%	302 (66.7%)	33 (7.3%)	72 (15.9%)	17 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.4%)	90.8	99^th of 1490 public elementary schools	93.4%		81.2	222^nd of 1505 public elementary schools	85.2%	123	87.3	88.9	77.4	63.3	88.9	70.7	86.0	$9,117	$852	$8,265

Districts nearby

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Riverside Leadership Academy	3.29 mi	1
Jones County Schools	9.7 mi	5	108^th
Arapahoe Charter School	15.6 mi	1
Pamlico County Schools	17.46 mi	4	84^th
Onslow County Schools	19.26 mi	40	116^th

See the top NC North Carolina districts

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.