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Pender County Schools

At a glance

115^thof 242 North Carolina districts▲ 9

Better than 52% of North Carolina districts

Elementary 9 Middle 5 High 4 Alternative 1Grades PK, KG-13

925 Penderlea Hwy
Burgaw, NC 28425·(910) 259-2187·All North Carolina district rankings →

Statewide performance 2017–2025

2025: better than 52.5% of districts

Schools

11,073

Students

5-star schools

Top rankedPender Early College High30^th of 641 North Carolina high schools

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Biggest riser

Rocky Point Elementary up 76 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Burgaw Middle 10.2 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

5★

4★

3★

2★

1★

1 school without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

Compare North Carolina districts →See the top-ranked North Carolina schools →

Summary:

The Pender County Schools district in North Carolina comprises 19 schools, including 9 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, 4 high schools, and 1 alternative school. The district serves a diverse range of student populations, with some standout high-performing schools as well as lower-performing schools.

Among the top-performing schools in the district are Topsail High School, ranked in the top 25% of North Carolina high schools, and Topsail Annandale Elementary School, consistently ranked in the top 5% of North Carolina elementary schools. Additionally, Pender Early College High is a top-ranked high school, with over 90% proficiency in end-of-course exams and a 5-star rating. These schools demonstrate high academic achievement and are clear standouts in the Pender County Schools district.

However, the data also reveals stark performance disparities across the district, with some schools struggling to meet proficiency standards. The schools with the highest rates of economic disadvantage, as measured by free/reduced lunch rates, tend to have the lowest academic performance. This highlights the challenges faced by economically disadvantaged students and the need for targeted interventions and resource allocation to ensure equitable access to quality education for all students in the Pender County Schools district.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOC Biology (2025)	EOC English II (2025)	EOC Math I (2025)	EOC Math III (2025)	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	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Malpass Corner Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4992 Malpass Corner Road	Burgaw	28425	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 283-5889	513	29	17.5	98.1%	188 (36.6%)	135 (26.3%)	159 (31.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.5%)	18.7	1302^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	12.6%		18.2	1308^th of 1505 public elementary schools	13.1%	6					32.1	44.6	58.6				16.0	34.2	35.7				47.1		$11,511	$1,863	$9,647
C.F. Pope Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	400 North Wright Street	Burgaw	28425	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 259-0145	530	33	16.1	97.7%	189 (35.7%)	181 (34.2%)	103 (19.4%)	5 (0.9%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	48 (9.1%)	13.9	1365^th of 1490 public elementary schools	8.4%		15.3	1358^th of 1505 public elementary schools	9.8%	7					38.2	42.7	36.8				20.6	46.7	32.2				33.3		$9,705	$1,200	$8,505
Burgaw Middle	Public	6-8	500 South Wright Street	Burgaw	28425	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 259-0149	236	23	10.2	97.9%	99 (41.9%)	76 (32.2%)	50 (21.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.2%)	20.4	633^rd of 773 public middle schools	18.1%		16	699^th of 793 public middle schools	11.9%	66								40.3	29.2	23.3				42.9	27.7	35.6		53.4	$12,822	$1,614	$11,208
Pender High	Public	9-12	5380 NC Hwy 53 W	Burgaw	28425	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 259-0162	648	29	22.1	98.5%	265 (40.9%)	201 (31.0%)	151 (23.3%)	2 (0.3%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (3.7%)	13.9	576^th of 641 public high schools	10.1%		17.5	534^th of 640 public high schools	16.6%	42	28.2	29.2	6.6	47.0															$10,022	$530	$9,492
Penderlea Elementary	Public	K-8	11 Garden Road	Willard	28478	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 285-2761	468	33	14.1	99.4%	235 (50.2%)	83 (17.7%)	108 (23.1%)	4 (0.9%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	34 (7.3%)	36.6	971^st of 1490 public elementary schools	34.8%		34.2	1022^nd of 1505 public elementary schools	32.1%	51					55.6	65.1	56.5	47.5	51.4	50.0	27.8	44.2	42.0	47.5	42.9	40.4	55.1	38.5	$9,390	$895	$8,495
Rocky Point Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	255 Elementary School Road	Rocky Point	28457	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 675-2309	403	29	13.7	99.3%	145 (36.0%)	55 (13.6%)	189 (46.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.5%)	62.5	522^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	65.0%		59.2	598^th of 1505 public elementary schools	60.3%	76					68.8	68.3	78.5				40.6	55.6	50.8				72.3		$11,562	$1,485	$10,077
Topsail High	Public	9-12	245 St. Johns Church Road	Hampstead	28443	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 270-2755	1,945	67	29.0	23.5%	1,603 (82.4%)	60 (3.1%)	148 (7.6%)	15 (0.8%)	6 (0.3%)	3 (0.2%)	110 (5.7%)	79.4	136^th of 641 public high schools	78.8%		76.8	145^th of 640 public high schools	77.3%	9	75.2	77.5	56.7	83.6															$8,065	$589	$7,476
Topsail Middle	Public	5-8	17445 US Hwy 17	Hampstead	28443	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 270-2612	837	45	18.6	20.1%	699 (83.5%)	21 (2.5%)	67 (8.0%)	8 (1.0%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	38 (4.5%)	82.5	113^th of 773 public middle schools	85.4%		82.1	116^th of 793 public middle schools	85.4%	3							83.7	73.4	74.3	64.3			68.3	67.2	66.0	68.3	86.2	76.1	$8,344	$489	$7,855
West Pender Middle	Public	6-8	10750 NC Hwy 53 West	Burgaw	28425	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 283-5626	209	17	12.2	97.6%	72 (34.4%)	67 (32.1%)	62 (29.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.8%)	17.4	669^th of 773 public middle schools	13.5%		15.5	704^th of 793 public middle schools	11.2%	35								38.4	35.4	24.6				30.1	36.9	31.9		47.8	$11,639	$998	$10,642
South Topsail Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	997 Hoover Road	Hampstead	28443	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 270-2756	618	38	16.1	99.5%	475 (76.9%)	19 (3.1%)	67 (10.8%)	8 (1.3%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	45 (7.3%)	77	297^th of 1490 public elementary schools	80.1%		84	187^th of 1505 public elementary schools	87.6%	110					78.2	77.6	68.4				61.8	70.6	63.2				65.0		$10,357	$486	$9,871
North Topsail Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1310 Sloop Point Loop Road	Hampstead	28443	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 270-0694	529	33	15.9	99.1%	450 (85.1%)	12 (2.3%)	36 (6.8%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.3%)	85.5	165^th of 1490 public elementary schools	88.9%		88.8	130^th of 1505 public elementary schools	91.4%	35					82.5	89.3	80.0				51.8	75.7	76.8				75.8		$9,936	$444	$9,492
Cape Fear Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1882 NC Hwy 133	Rocky Point	28457	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 602-3767	533	37	14.4	99.4%	287 (53.8%)	46 (8.6%)	164 (30.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.2%)	30.2	1088^th of 1490 public elementary schools	27.0%		33.3	1042^nd of 1505 public elementary schools	30.8%	46					47.4	60.7	42.1				30.8	42.9	32.9				60.5		$10,210	$1,054	$9,156
Cape Fear Middle	Public	6-8	1886 NC Hwy 133	Rocky Point	28457	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 602-3334	430	32	13.4	99.1%	199 (46.3%)	36 (8.4%)	163 (37.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.0%)	48.5	397^th of 773 public middle schools	48.6%		51.3	382^nd of 793 public middle schools	51.8%	15								58.0	54.4	55.3				37.7	40.4	59.1		57.2	$8,993	$959	$8,034
Heide Trask High	Public	9-12	14328 NC Hwy 210	Rocky Point	28457	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 602-6810	732	33	21.8	99.6%	300 (41.0%)	111 (15.2%)	281 (38.4%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (4.9%)	18.8	530^th of 641 public high schools	17.3%		33.3	420^th of 640 public high schools	34.4%	110	23.0	47.6	21.2	42.2															$10,484	$771	$9,712
Pender Early College High	Public	9-12	100 East Industrial Drive	Burgaw	28425	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 362-7925	215	4	50.8	98.6%	140 (65.1%)	10 (4.7%)	50 (23.3%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.6%)	94.3	30^th of 641 public high schools	95.3%		95.5	22^nd of 640 public high schools	96.6%	8	91.1	98.2	90.9	94.9															$7,865	$425	$7,440
Topsail Annandale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	17385 US Hwy 17	Hampstead	28443	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 270-1977	580	34	17.0	19.8%	502 (86.6%)	13 (2.2%)	42 (7.2%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (2.9%)	90.3	106^th of 1490 public elementary schools	92.9%		93.3	68^th of 1505 public elementary schools	95.5%	38					85.0	80.2					64.7	80.2							$8,786	$660	$8,125
Surf City Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	12345-A Literacy Lane	Hampstead	28445	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 928-0067	857	51	16.8	99.6%	684 (79.8%)	25 (2.9%)	79 (9.2%)	3 (0.4%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (7.2%)	66.8	451^st of 1490 public elementary schools	69.7%		78.4	274^th of 1505 public elementary schools	81.8%	177					67.9	68.1	57.4				47.4	72.3	63.9				67.1		$7,721	$547	$7,175
Surf City Middle	Public	6-8	12345-B Literacy Lane	Hampstead	28443	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 928-0087	752	41	18.4	21.3%	621 (82.6%)	11 (1.5%)	61 (8.1%)	3 (0.4%)	4 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	50 (6.6%)	78.5	146^th of 773 public middle schools	81.1%		81.6	118^th of 793 public middle schools	85.1%	28								79.3	74.1	64.5				65.7	62.4	63.0		66.8	$6,848	$445	$6,403
Pender Innovative Learning Academy	Public, Alternative	K-12	1886 NC Hwy 133	Rocky Point	28457	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 789-6073	38	8	4.9	86.8%	25 (65.8%)	8 (21.1%)	2 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (7.9%)								(n/a)		40.0

Districts nearby

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
New Hanover County Schools	14.11 mi	43	78^th
NCDPS Juvenile Education Services	15.7 mi	10
Columbus County Schools	15.72 mi	12	177^th
STEM Education for a Global Society-SEGS	15.85 mi	1
Classical Charter Schools of Leland	16.06 mi	1	32^nd

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.