Beaufort County Early College High

Beaufort County Early College High is a small public high school in Washington, NC, serving 280 students in grades 9-12 as part of Beaufort County Schools. The school has been one of North Carolina's top high schools for six straight years, ranking #35 out of 662 high schools (95th percentile) in 2025-2026 and earning 5 stars in every reported year since 2020-2021, with a peak of #7 in the state in 2022-2023.

The school's test results are extraordinary. In 2025-2026, proficiency rates were 95.3% in Biology, 97.1% in English II, 92.6% in Math I, and 98.7% in Math III — far above district and state averages. Math I proficiency at the school was 92.6%, compared with just 39.3% for Beaufort County Schools and 42.1% statewide. The gap with nearby traditional high schools is even more striking. Washington High posted just 23.2% Math I proficiency, Southside High reached 42.2%, and Northside High hit 50.0%. Even NERSBA Early College, another early-college model about 19 miles away, trailed significantly in Biology (68.8%), English II (70.3%), and Math III (69.6%), though its Math I score (87.5%) was closer.

This success is especially noteworthy given that the school serves a nearly 99% economically disadvantaged student population. Low-income students rank in the 96th percentile statewide. Chronic absenteeism is just 9.2%, compared with 26.9% districtwide and over 34% at both Washington High and Southside High. The school's one relative soft spot is its gifted and talented subgroup, which ranked at the 77th percentile in 2025-2026 — still above average statewide but less dominant than its other results. Overall, the data paints a picture of a small school with an unusually effective model, high engagement, near-universal proficiency in core subjects, and standout success in mathematics.