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Wilson County Schools

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At a glance

97^thof 246 North Carolina districts▼ 4

Better than 60% of North Carolina districts

Elementary 13 Middle 5 High 6 Alternative 1Grades PK, KG-12

117 N E Tarboro St
Wilson, NC 27894-4016·(252) 399-7700·All North Carolina district rankings →

Statewide performance 2018–2026

2026: better than 60.6% of districts

Schools

10,451

Students

5-star schools

Top rankedRock Ridge Elementary42^nd of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools

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Biggest riser

B O Barnes Elementary up 241 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

B O Barnes Elementary 11.9 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

5★

4★

3★

2★

1★

2 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

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

Summary:

Wilson County Schools is a mid-sized North Carolina district serving about 10,451 students across 25 schools—13 elementary, 5 middle, 6 high, and one alternative learning center—spread across the city of Wilson and surrounding small towns. The district is rated 3 stars and ranks 97th of 246 North Carolina districts, but that average standing hides enormous internal gaps. Most traditional schools are high poverty, with free/reduced-lunch eligibility above 95%, yet the district contains schools in the state's top 7% and bottom 4% alike.

The clear standouts are the two specialty high schools: Wilson Early College Academy, ranked #48 of 662 (93rd percentile), and Wilson Academy of Applied Technology, ranked #61 (91st percentile), both with near-universal exam proficiency. At the elementary level, Rock Ridge Elementary tops the traditional campuses at the 97th percentile, followed by New Hope Elementary (95th) and Lucama Elementary (94th)—all 5-star schools with 99%+ poverty eligibility. Springfield Middle leads among middle schools (93rd percentile). At the other extreme, Vick Elementary is at the 4th percentile, Margaret Hearne Elementary the 17th, and Charles H Darden Middle the 15th. The three traditional comprehensive high schools—James Hunt High, Fike High, and Beddingfield High—have all fallen to the bottom quarter of North Carolina.

Chronic absenteeism is the clearest line separating the two groups: top schools keep it under 15%—Rock Ridge at 8.0%, Springfield Middle at 10.7%, Early College at 11.9%—while struggling schools like Vick Elementary (35.9%) and Darden Middle (33.4%) exceed 30%. Most top schools sit in the county's rural communities; most struggling schools sit in Wilson city limits. There are bright spots: Vinson-Bynum Elementary jumped from the 55th percentile to the 72nd in two years. Overall, Wilson County is succeeding spectacularly in some schools and struggling significantly in others, and its biggest opportunity is to carry the strategies of the five-star campuses to those being left behind.

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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 (2026)				Ranking (2025)				EOC Biology (2026)	EOC English II (2026)	EOC Math I (2026)	EOC Math III (2026)	EOG Mathematics (2026)						EOG Reading (2026)						EOG Science (2026)		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 (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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
B O Barnes Elementary	Public	K-5	1913 Martin L King Parkway	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 399-7875	274	23	11.9	98.9%	8 (2.9%)	209 (76.3%)	50 (18.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.6%)	45.6	812^th of 1492 public elementary schools	45.6%		32.3	1053^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	29.3%	241					64.7	57.1	78.8				55.9	45.2	27.3				69.7		$11,225	$3,242	$7,983
Beddingfield High	Public	9-12	4510 Old Stantonsburg Rd	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(252) 399-7880	653	48	13.6	99.5%	109 (16.7%)	304 (46.6%)	225 (34.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.1%)	26.9	501^st of 662 public high schools	24.3%		35.4	409^th of 641 public high schools	36.2%	92	47.8	49.2	26.8	58.0															$9,512	$718	$8,794
Frederick Douglass Elementary	Public	K-5	1301 Corbett Ave	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 236-4574	339	22	15.1	98.5%	114 (33.6%)	118 (34.8%)	78 (23.0%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (7.4%)	69.7	423^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	71.6%		66.5	460^th of 1490 public elementary schools	69.1%	37					73.7	57.8	81.5				70.2	62.5	64.8				70.4		$9,313	$1,225	$8,089
Elm City Middle	Public	6-8	215 E Church St	Elm City	27822	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(252) 236-4148	399	26	15.5	99.2%	197 (49.4%)	115 (28.8%)	56 (14.0%)	7 (1.8%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	20 (5.0%)	73.8	184^th of 778 public middle schools	76.3%		77.1	157^th of 773 public middle schools	79.7%	27								77.4	71.3	55.8				69.2	67.4	58.0		76.8	$7,994	$522	$7,472
Fike High	Public	9-12	500 Harrison Dr N	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(252) 399-7905	1,028	55	18.7	98.8%	309 (30.1%)	468 (45.5%)	200 (19.5%)	11 (1.1%)	5 (0.5%)	2 (0.2%)	33 (3.2%)	27.9	495^th of 662 public high schools	25.2%		32.5	429^th of 641 public high schools	33.1%	66	44.7	51.0	25.0	61.9															$8,482	$699	$7,783
Gardners Elementary	Public	K-5	5404 NC 42 Hwy E	Elm City	27822	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 399-7920	280	18	15.5	98.2%	99 (35.4%)	62 (22.1%)	102 (36.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.1%)	73.8	347^th of 1492 public elementary schools	76.7%		80.5	240^th of 1490 public elementary schools	83.9%	107					77.6	80.4	66.7				65.3	67.4	64.3				69.0		$10,906	$1,587	$9,319
James Hunt High	Public	9-12	4559 Lamm Rd	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(252) 399-7930	1,115	62	17.9	98.7%	374 (33.5%)	420 (37.7%)	258 (23.1%)	9 (0.8%)	4 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	48 (4.3%)	23.2	535^th of 662 public high schools	19.2%		36.6	400^th of 641 public high schools	37.6%	135	35.0	58.6	14.2	56.3															$8,469	$640	$7,829
Lee Woodard Elementary	Public	K-5	103 Church St	Black Creek	27813	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 399-7940	173	10	17.3	97.1%	73 (42.2%)	40 (23.1%)	48 (27.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (6.9%)	63.4	528^th of 1492 public elementary schools	64.6%		55.4	646^th of 1490 public elementary schools	56.6%	118					55.2	69.2	88.9				58.6	73.1	48.1				74.1		$11,686	$1,635	$10,051
Lucama Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6260 Blalock Road	Lucama	27851	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 239-1257	431	24	18.1	99.3%	199 (46.2%)	74 (17.2%)	135 (31.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.3%)	91.8	89^th of 1492 public elementary schools	94.0%		90.2	107^th of 1490 public elementary schools	92.8%	18					88.6	84.4	87.7				70.0	82.8	77.2				91.2		$9,021	$1,340	$7,681
Margaret Hearne Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	300 W Gold St	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 399-7925	423	27	15.9	99.3%	19 (4.5%)	242 (57.2%)	138 (32.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.4%)	22.7	1233^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	17.4%		22.8	1224^th of 1490 public elementary schools	17.9%	9					35.0	34.8	52.7				38.3	44.9	41.8				67.3		$10,414	$2,422	$7,993
New Hope Elementary	Public	K-5	4826 Packhouse Rd	Wilson	27896	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(252) 399-7950	460	29	15.6	99.3%	210 (45.7%)	111 (24.1%)	83 (18.0%)	30 (6.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.4%)	93.2	69^th of 1492 public elementary schools	95.4%		95.3	51^st of 1490 public elementary schools	96.6%	18					82.1	88.9	92.5				73.1	85.6	80.6				91.0		$9,265	$666	$8,598
Rock Ridge Elementary	Public	K-5	6605 Rock Ridge School Rd	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(252) 399-7955	476	29	16.6	99.4%	251 (52.7%)	49 (10.3%)	149 (31.3%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.8%)	94.9	42^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	97.2%		93.5	66^th of 1490 public elementary schools	95.6%	24					89.8	89.7	87.0				86.4	88.5	79.7				87.0		$8,909	$1,031	$7,878
Speight Middle	Public	6-8	5514 Old Stantonsburg Road	Stantonsburg	27883	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 238-3983	281	17	16.5	98.9%	76 (27.0%)	75 (26.7%)	113 (40.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.0%)	53	372^nd of 778 public middle schools	52.2%		54.9	327^th of 773 public middle schools	57.7%	45								41.9	74.0	39.6				50.5	63.5	54.2		76.0	$9,297	$641	$8,656
Springfield Middle	Public	6-8	5551 Wiggins Mill Rd	Lucama	27851	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(252) 239-1347	448	25	17.9	99.3%	208 (46.4%)	75 (16.7%)	138 (30.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.8%)	89.7	54^th of 778 public middle schools	93.1%		81.5	125^th of 773 public middle schools	83.8%	71								83.6	81.9	76.7				74.7	74.0	72.6		91.1	$8,059	$596	$7,463
Stantonsburg Elementary	Public	K-5	409 S Main St	Stantonsburg	27883	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 238-3639	184	12	15.0	98.4%	38 (20.7%)	69 (37.5%)	67 (36.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (5.4%)	46.5	795^th of 1492 public elementary schools	46.7%		44.8	835^th of 1490 public elementary schools	44.0%	40					53.8	54.8	44.0				53.8	67.7	64.0				64.0		$10,595	$1,784	$8,811
Vinson-Bynum Elementary	Public	K-5	1601 Tarboro St SW	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 399-7981	458	29	15.8	99.3%	63 (13.8%)	294 (64.2%)	69 (15.1%)	12 (2.6%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.7%)	70.2	412^th of 1492 public elementary schools	72.4%		58.7	585^th of 1490 public elementary schools	60.7%	173					86.9	60.0	62.7				64.3	65.9	63.3				75.0		$11,625	$1,594	$10,030
Wells Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1400 Grove St N	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 399-7986	383	23	16.7	95.8%	69 (18.0%)	227 (59.3%)	58 (15.1%)	7 (1.8%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.0%)	41.4	888^th of 1492 public elementary schools	40.5%		46.8	805^th of 1490 public elementary schools	46.0%	83					78.0	46.0	56.1				66.0	50.0	40.4				56.1		$9,928	$1,749	$8,179
Charles H Darden Middle	Public	6-8	1665 Lipscomb Road	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 206-4973	378	28	13.6	99.2%	10 (2.6%)	242 (64.0%)	116 (30.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.4%)	18.3	665^th of 778 public middle schools	14.5%		18	660^th of 773 public middle schools	14.6%	5								40.8	30.7	18.9				34.2	50.9	44.5		46.4	$12,284	$3,499	$8,785
Forest Hills Middle	Public	6-8	1210 Forest Hills	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 399-7913	654	36	18.2	99.5%	79 (12.1%)	400 (61.2%)	113 (17.3%)	23 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (6.0%)	57.1	331^st of 778 public middle schools	57.5%		52	367^th of 773 public middle schools	52.5%	36								47.1	53.3	67.6				57.2	58.3	57.5		76.0	$8,665	$708	$7,958
Milton M Daniels Learning Center	Public, Alternative	2-12	723 Elvie Street	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(252) 399-7900	62	9	6.8	95.2%	9 (14.5%)	42 (67.7%)	10 (16.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.6%)								(n/a)										13.8					25.9	34.5		27.6	$14,459	$946	$13,513
Vick Elementary	Public	K-5	504 N Carroll Street	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 399-7886	359	23	15.4	99.2%	9 (2.5%)	251 (69.9%)	91 (25.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.2%)	8.9	1431^st of 1492 public elementary schools	4.1%		14.3	1356^th of 1490 public elementary schools	9.0%	75					30.6	25.4	45.6				26.4	26.9	33.3				54.4		$13,719	$3,492	$10,227
John W Jones Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4028 Highway 42 West	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 265-4020	601	36	16.8	99.5%	120 (20.0%)	319 (53.1%)	100 (16.6%)	26 (4.3%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	32 (5.3%)	35	1004^th of 1492 public elementary schools	32.7%		41.1	896^th of 1490 public elementary schools	39.9%	108					45.7	35.6	66.2				44.3	48.9	58.8				64.7		$10,499	$2,342	$8,156
Wilson Early College Academy	Public	9-12	902 Herring St	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(252) 246-1418	268	13	20.4	37.3%	103 (38.4%)	89 (33.2%)	61 (22.8%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	10 (3.7%)	92.1	48^th of 662 public high schools	92.7%		95.6	14^th of 641 public high schools	97.8%	34	88.4	97.9	93.3	100.0															$6,572	$272	$6,300
Wilson Academy of Applied Technology	Public	9-12	4809 Ward Blvd	Wilson	27893	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(252) 265-4038	280	15	19.3	45.7%	80 (28.6%)	61 (21.8%)	117 (41.8%)	8 (2.9%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.6%)	91.7	61^st of 662 public high schools	90.8%		94.1	33^rd of 641 public high schools	94.9%	28	95.1	100.0	90.9	94.1															$11,011	$214	$10,797
Wilson Academy of Virtual Education	Public, Virtual	6-12	117 NE Tarboro St	Wilson	27894	Wilson County	Wilson County Schools	No	No	Yes	No	(252) 399-7700	44	0	146.6	50.0%	26 (59.1%)	12 (27.3%)	3 (6.8%)	1 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.3%)	1 (2.3%)								(n/a)	30.0

Districts nearby

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Governor Morehead School for the Blind	1 mi	3
Eastern NC School for the Deaf	1.01 mi	1
Sallie B Howard School	1.28 mi	1
Wilson Preparatory Academy	4.28 mi	2
Nash County Public Schools	12.37 mi	27	158^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.