Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology

Public, Charter Grades K-8

1410^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 5% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology is a very small K–8 school in Jacksonville, NC, serving 104 students and operating as the only school in its own district. More than 95% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch — the highest poverty concentration in the area by a wide margin. Academic proficiency is dramatically below state averages: just 10% of 5th graders were proficient in math in 2025–2026, versus 62.9% statewide, and only 8.3% of 4th graders were proficient in math in 2024–2025. Nearby schools that also serve many low-income families are part of Onslow County Schools and perform far better: Bell Fork Elementary and Northwoods Elementary posted 4th-grade math proficiency rates of 58.6% and 46.8%, respectively.

The starkest difference, though, is attendance. Z.E.C.A.'s chronic absenteeism rate jumped to 57.9% in 2024–2025, up from 36.4% the year before and more than double the state average of 24.2%. Nearby schools range from 13.4% at Carolina Forest Elementary to 26.7% at Jacksonville Commons Elementary, so no neighbor comes close. Z.E.C.A. also has larger class sizes than every nearby school, with a student-teacher ratio of 17.8 versus roughly 12 to 16 elsewhere — a tough combination for a student body with overwhelming economic need.

There are some bright spots. Seventh-grade reading proficiency reached 70% in 2024–2025, well above the state's 51.9%, and 8th-grade reading hit 66.7% in 2022–2023, suggesting strong teaching in some middle-school classrooms. Because the school has just 104 students across K–8, results can swing with one or two children, so year-to-year ratings should be viewed cautiously. Even with that caveat, the school has ranked in the bottom 5% of North Carolina schools for a decade. State tests measure only math, reading, and science; they don't capture Z.E.C.A.'s arts-and-technology focus, and these numbers should not be read as a limit on what its students can achieve.

104

Students ?

17.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

95.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1249 Hargett Street
Jacksonville, NC 28540

(910) 219-8603

District: Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology

Racial breakdown:

African American:

58.7%

Hispanic:

17.3%

White:

12.5%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 3rd percentile in 2015 → 5th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (30% vs 60% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (5th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (58% vs 24% North Carolina)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school30%

North Carolina avg60%

1,410^th of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 5%▲ up 5 pts since 2016

From bottom 1% (2016) to bottom 5% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

240^th of 246Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology among North Carolina districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	10.6	1410 of 1492	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	10.1	1420 of 1490	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	3.5	1491 of 1505	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	17.0	1334 of 1514	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	17.3	1257 of 1489	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	7.8	1413 of 1473	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	7.0	1378 of 1434	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	3.2	1401 of 1429	2.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	2.2	1414 of 1425	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	5.6	1400 of 1440	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	22.8	788 of 918	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	3.7	946 of 949	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	19.1	834 of 927	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2019	8.6	1370 of 1424	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	11.5	1395 of 1450	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	13.6	1288 of 1361	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	40.8	453 of 784	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	11.3	726 of 786	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	13.7	659 of 741	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	32.6	535 of 737	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	8.2	653 of 694	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	26.3	528 of 692	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	56.4	180 of 559	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	28.8	426 of 550	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	57.1	267 of 735	63.7%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

African American (2025)14th percentile+9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)4th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2019)4th percentile~ school

Middle school

African American (2023)68th percentile+26 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2023)64th percentile+21 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Reading36%-19 vs state

Mathematics23%-38 vs state

2.3

3 ratings · 3 written reviews

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★2

Rate Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a parent
Friday, March 1, 2019

While the idea is great, the implementation and how it is run is saddening and ineffective. The students that have been consistently attending the school or that have a connection in the admin are rarely punished no matter the offense. However, if you are new or are have no connection than you do not mean anything to them. They will tell you the school is a business and the amount of money and time required by parents is where that is seen the most. My child’s education suffers because of the students that have behavioral issues. The one’s that throw tantrums and that are continuously interrupting class. And the saddest part is nothing is being taken care of on the admin level. I am always asked to take care of it and to stand beside my son’s teacher. Where’s admin? I don’t understand why my child’s education has to suffer in order for them to make their money and keep disrespectful students there. Based on what my son has told me I am very disappointed and appalled. But what do they do when I ask them? They come up with a lame excuse and send me away. No parent should send their child to this school unless you want their education to suffer at the hands of another student. Teachers are amazing and miracle workers but their hard work does not shine through the misbehaviors and those few students that run each room. If you want a successful student I would highly recommend you sending them anywhere but to this school. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, August 14, 2018

I absolutely love this school. My child no longer attends here because we had to move but the improvement I seen in my child was phenomenal . I can’t wait to see where this school goes in the future. For where it’s located it’s something different and not seen in the area. I honestly feel as if they weren’t in this small town they would thrive so much more. Nonetheless I wish them the best. Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Completely unprofessional staff. Terrible school! Charter should be revoked asap! Close Quote

Schools Near Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology

Load more schools when map is moved

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)				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	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology	Public, Charter	K-8	1249 Hargett Street	Jacksonville	28540	Onslow County	Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology	Yes	No	No	Yes	(910) 219-8603	104	6	17.8	95.2%	13 (12.5%)	61 (58.7%)	18 (17.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (11.5%)	10.6	1410^th of 1492 public elementary schools	5.5%		10.1	1420^th of 1490 public elementary schools	4.7%	10			10.0	33.3			40.0	33.3	338.5
Clyde Erwin Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	323 New River Dr	Jacksonville	28540	Onslow County	Onslow County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(910) 347-1261	283	24	12.0	61.8%	72 (25.4%)	66 (23.3%)	114 (40.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	29 (10.2%)	45.6	811^th of 1492 public elementary schools	45.6%		33.5	1029^th of 1490 public elementary schools	30.9%	218	60.8	75.7	50.0		52.9	73.0	36.1		52.8	$10,965	$929	$10,036
Bell Fork Elementary	Public	K-5	500 Bell Fork Rd	Jacksonville	28540	Onslow County	Onslow County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 347-4459	551	38	14.5	74.0%	136 (24.7%)	219 (39.7%)	137 (24.9%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	53 (9.6%)	30.1	1093^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	26.7%		38.1	949^th of 1490 public elementary schools	36.3%	144	45.6	41.7	47.0		39.2	48.6	55.4		66.3	$9,844	$1,331	$8,513
Northwoods Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	617 Henderson Dr	Jacksonville	28540	Onslow County	Onslow County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(910) 347-2808	439	33	13.3	72.2%	168 (38.3%)	114 (26.0%)	84 (19.1%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	6 (1.4%)	64 (14.6%)	20.5	1270^th of 1492 public elementary schools	14.9%		37.1	960^th of 1490 public elementary schools	35.6%	310	38.2	47.4	42.6		39.5	47.4	39.3		57.4	$9,947	$1,028	$8,919
Parkwood Elementary	Public	K-5	2900 Northwoods Dr	Jacksonville	28540	Onslow County	Onslow County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 347-6711	457	32	14.2	52.5%	221 (48.4%)	81 (17.7%)	93 (20.4%)	8 (1.8%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	51 (11.2%)	42.1	875^th of 1492 public elementary schools	41.4%		53.8	675^th of 1490 public elementary schools	54.7%	200	60.0	45.7	52.3		45.0	51.9	61.6		68.6	$9,969	$731	$9,237
Jacksonville Commons Elementary	Public	K-5	1121 Commons Drive North	Jacksonville	28546	Onslow County	Onslow County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 347-1056	506	37	13.6	69.8%	165 (32.6%)	140 (27.7%)	103 (20.4%)	11 (2.2%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	83 (16.4%)	26	1169^th of 1492 public elementary schools	21.6%		30.7	1078^th of 1490 public elementary schools	27.7%	91	43.8	59.1	37.3		40.0	47.7	49.3		52.0	$10,168	$1,161	$9,007
Blue Creek Elementary	Public	K-5	1260 Burgaw Hwy	Jacksonville	28540	Onslow County	Onslow County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 347-1717	498	38	13.2	67.3%	235 (47.2%)	87 (17.5%)	118 (23.7%)	4 (0.8%)	6 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	47 (9.4%)	19.6	1286^th of 1492 public elementary schools	13.8%		26	1158^th of 1490 public elementary schools	22.3%	128	47.0	42.5	36.7		37.9	53.8	36.1		49.2	$10,673	$1,191	$9,482
Carolina Forest Elementary	Public	K-5	141 Carolina Forest Boulevard	Jacksonville	28546	Onslow County	Onslow County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 346-1778	570	39	14.6	47.9%	207 (36.3%)	140 (24.6%)	118 (20.7%)	32 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.2%)	66 (11.6%)	70	416^th of 1492 public elementary schools	72.1%		73	344^th of 1490 public elementary schools	76.9%	72	82.1	54.1	71.3		75.0	63.3	60.0		77.5	$8,201	$658	$7,543
Hunters Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3450 Hunters Trail	Jacksonville	28546	Onslow County	Onslow County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 353-4443	585	45	13.0	71.8%	189 (32.3%)	130 (22.2%)	176 (30.1%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	86 (14.7%)	24.4	1197^th of 1492 public elementary schools	19.8%		37.7	954^th of 1490 public elementary schools	36.0%	243	41.1	36.3	39.8		44.2	53.8	51.1		55.7	$9,669	$1,315	$8,354
Summersill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	250 Summersill School Road	Jacksonville	28540	Onslow County	Onslow County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 455-2672	482	40	11.9	74.3%	202 (41.9%)	125 (25.9%)	88 (18.3%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (12.7%)	33	1042^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	30.2%		46.8	807^th of 1490 public elementary schools	45.8%	235	50.0	64.7	50.0		34.3	60.3	44.3		54.3	$10,099	$866	$9,233

Frequently Asked Questions about Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology

How many students attend Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology?

In the 2024-25 school year, 104 students attended Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology.

Is Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology a good school?

Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology ranks in the bottom 5.5% of North Carolina elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology?

Students at Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology are 59% African American, 17% Hispanic, 13% White, 12% Two or more races.

What district is Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology in?

Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology

Rate Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NCNorth Carolina Elementary School Rankings

NCNorth Carolina District Rankings

Schools in Jacksonville, NC

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology!

Latest North Carolina data All new data »

2017–18 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 2, 2026

2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 2, 2026

2016–17 through 2024–25 graduation ratesSep 3, 2025

2024–25 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 3, 2025

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.