Southeastern Academy

Southeastern Academy is a small K-8 school in Lumberton, NC, that serves 218 students and operates as its own standalone district in a region where most surrounding schools are struggling. The school currently ranks #223 of 1,492 schools statewide (85th percentile) and has earned 4-star ratings in recent years following a run of 5-star ratings from 2020-2021 through 2023-2024. Its ranking places it far above every nearby school with available data—Magnolia Elementary sits in the 34th percentile, while Tar Heel School lands in the 22nd percentile.

Academically, math is Southeastern Academy's clear signature strength, with average proficiency near 90% across grades 3-8, compared with roughly 60% statewide. Results are striking at every level: 100% proficiency in 3rd-grade math and middle-school math scores consistently above 90%. In 8th grade, for instance, 91.3% of Southeastern Academy students are proficient in math, versus 24.3% at Tar Heel School and 67.7% at Magnolia Elementary. Reading also exceeds state averages in every grade, though the gap is smaller—most notably in 5th grade, where proficiency sits just above the statewide rate. Eighth-grade science is excellent at 91.3%, and what appears in 5th-grade science is likely just small-cohort variability rather than a pattern.

Attendance is another major differentiator. Southeastern Academy's chronic absenteeism rate is just 10.2%—less than half the state average of 24.2% and dramatically below every nearby school. For comparison, Tar Heel School reports 20.0%, Magnolia Elementary 38.7%, and Long Branch Elementary 46.2%. The school's K-8 structure also helps students sustain strong performance through the middle grades, a period when many area schools see sharp declines. While the neighboring Public Schools of Robeson County and Bladen County Schools districts are both rated 1-star, Southeastern Academy consistently posts proficiency rates in the 70s, 80s, and 90s—making it a true regional outlier.