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Tar Heel School

Public Grades PK, KG-8

1258^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,490 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 16% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Tar Heel School is an elementary school serving grades PK-8 in the small town of Tar Heel, North Carolina. With 255 students, the school is part of the Bladen County Schools district, which is ranked 211 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Tar Heel School has consistently been ranked in the bottom 20% of North Carolina elementary schools, receiving a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past two school years. The school's academic performance, as measured by proficiency rates on state standardized tests, is significantly below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, Tar Heel School's 3rd-grade math proficiency rate was 53.3%, compared to the state average of 64.1% and the Bladen County Schools district average of 42.1%.

Tar Heel School's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with the school's Hispanic students performing relatively better than its White students and female students. Additionally, the school has an extremely high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, with over 98% of its students falling into this category in recent years. This indicates that the school serves a predominantly low-income student population, which may be a significant factor contributing to its academic challenges. Tar Heel School's lower per-student spending compared to the state average may also be a contributing factor to its struggles, and providing the school with additional funding and resources could potentially help improve student outcomes.

449

Students ?

17.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,148

Per pupil spending ?

95.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

14888 Hwy 87 West
Tar Heel, NC 28392

(910) 862-2475

District: Bladen County Schools

Students who attend Tar Heel School usually attend:

High:

West Bladen High

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

36.7%

African American:

29.6%

White:

25.6%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Tar Heel School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 25th percentile in 2024 → 16th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (38% vs 56% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (16th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 9 percentile points since 2024

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school38%

District avg37%

North Carolina avg56%

Elementary school

1,258^th of 1,490

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 16%▼ down 9 pts since 2024

From bottom 25% (2024) to bottom 16% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

662^nd of 773

North Carolina public middle schools ?

Bottom 14%▼ down 12 pts since 2015

From bottom 27% (2015) to bottom 14% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 6Elementary Schools in the Bladen County Schools

211^th of 242Bladen County Schools 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
2025	21.1	1258 of 1490	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	28.1	1136 of 1505	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	31.8	679 of 918	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	40.6	563 of 924	39.1%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	16.7	1312 of 1451	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	30.0	1090 of 1455	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	43.4	554 of 961	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.2	464 of 951	51.2%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	37.4	966 of 1437	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	35.0	1015 of 1450	30.0%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	37.1	945 of 1450	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	28.3	1116 of 1464	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	34.6	547 of 821	33.4%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	8.5	1147 of 1172	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	9.4	1135 of 1166	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	17.7	662 of 773	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.6	643 of 793	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	26.7	590 of 784	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	21.5	643 of 786	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.2	633 of 741	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.4	590 of 737	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	19.6	573 of 691	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	33.6	486 of 694	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2016	28.4	513 of 692	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	28.6	518 of 705	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	20.9	509 of 627	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	22.6	530 of 673	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	34.4	492 of 662	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	45.1	425 of 648	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2010	40.8	443 of 640	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2009	40.9	433 of 630	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2008	33.9	448 of 620	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	30.3	483 of 606	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	27.1	489 of 598	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	23.1	460 of 546	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	27.6	433 of 560	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.4	446 of 559	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	28.8	425 of 550	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	21.0	474 of 533	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	20.6	471 of 519	9.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	22.7	428 of 494	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2019	43.8	264 of 504	47.6%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	37.4	213 of 371	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.7	171 of 356	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	60.7	64 of 318	79.9%	★★★★☆
2022	39.4	175 of 312	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	47.7	81 of 236	65.7%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	19.4	617 of 733	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	18.1	639 of 738	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	19.4	622 of 731	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	21.0	607 of 733	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.2	620 of 706	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	36.0	475 of 684	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	21.0	547 of 656	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2021	54.9	246 of 448	45.1%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	31.6	408 of 562	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	36.5	383 of 564	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	41.8	332 of 553	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	29.8	410 of 541	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	24.3	440 of 522	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	57.6	155 of 493	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	41.1	298 of 472	36.9%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	17.6	652 of 729	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	28.0	579 of 743	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	38.4	464 of 735	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	28.1	534 of 689	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	18.2	561 of 633	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.4	426 of 639	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	22.9	508 of 604	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	18.3	627 of 733	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.3	586 of 751	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	33.1	511 of 747	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	21.2	618 of 748	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	17.3	614 of 711	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	17.7	605 of 697	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	16.8	582 of 665	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Migrant

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2019	58.0	3 of 6	50.0%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	13.4	597 of 649	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	11.4	617 of 652	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	19.6	570 of 656	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	12.7	623 of 658	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	22.8	523 of 632	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.6	578 of 624	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	8.0	573 of 596	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

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

Hispanic (2025)42nd percentile+27 vs school

Male (2025)35th percentile+19 vs school

Special Education (2025)33rd percentile+18 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)33rd percentile+17 vs school

African American (2025)26th percentile+10 vs school

Female (2025)10th percentile-6 vs school

White (2025)2nd percentile-13 vs school

Middle school

Migrant (2019)50th percentile+30 vs school

Disabled (2019)48th percentile+28 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2021)45th percentile+31 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)43rd percentile+28 vs school

Hispanic (2025)27th percentile+13 vs school

Female (2025)16th percentile~ school

African American (2025)16th percentile~ school

Male (2025)14th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)11th percentile-4 vs school

White (2025)8th percentile-6 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Science49%-12 vs state

Mathematics39%-18 vs state

Reading32%-20 vs state

★

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Schools Near Tar Heel School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				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	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
Tar Heel School	Public	PK, KG-8	14888 Hwy 87 West	Tar Heel	28392	Bladen County	Bladen County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 862-2475	449	26	17.4	95.5%	115 (25.6%)	133 (29.6%)	165 (36.7%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	25 (5.6%)	21.1	1258^th of 1490 public elementary schools	15.6%		28.1	1136^th of 1505 public elementary schools	24.5%	122	53.3	53.3	46.2	33.8	40.0	28.2	30.0	40.0	35.9	33.8	28.0	31.0	48.7	49.3	$9,148	$1,514	$7,634
Dublin Primary	Public	PK, KG-5	7048 Albert Street	Dublin	28332	Bladen County	Bladen County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 862-2202	234	17	13.5	98.7%	74 (31.6%)	54 (23.1%)	92 (39.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	1 (0.4%)	11 (4.7%)	24	1203^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	19.3%		32.9	1050^th of 1505 public elementary schools	30.2%	153	63.3	43.2	37.5				36.7	51.4	28.1				25.0		$11,628	$1,747	$9,882
Southeastern Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	12251 NC HWY 41 North	Lumberton	28358	Robeson County	Southeastern Academy	Yes	No	No	No	(910) 738-7828	218	14	15.3		144 (66.1%)	12 (5.5%)	5 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (22.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.7%)	82.7	205^th of 1490 public elementary schools	86.2%		90.3	111^th of 1505 public elementary schools	92.6%	94	96.0	72.0	84.0	92.0	87.0	87.5	68.0	68.0	64.0	88.0	82.6	70.8	52.0	75.0
East Robeson Primary	Public	PK, KG-3	4840 7th Street Road	Lumberton	28358	Robeson County	Public Schools of Robeson County	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 671-6055	556	34	16.4	99.5%	147 (26.4%)	110 (19.8%)	103 (18.5%)	0 (0.0%)	136 (24.5%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (10.8%)								(n/a)	86.8						71.1								$11,728	$1,810	$9,918
Saint Pauls Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	222 Martin Luther King Drive	Saint Pauls	28384	Robeson County	Public Schools of Robeson County	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 865-4103	710	42	16.7	99.6%	79 (11.1%)	140 (19.7%)	370 (52.1%)	1 (0.1%)	60 (8.5%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (8.5%)	6.9	1449^th of 1490 public elementary schools	2.8%		9.6	1427^th of 1505 public elementary schools	5.2%	22	43.6	22.2					19.5	28.6							$8,817	$1,680	$7,137
Gray's Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2964 School Rd	Hope Mills	28348	Cumberland County	Cumberland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 483-3352	428	26	16.7	99.3%	203 (47.4%)	90 (21.0%)	69 (16.1%)	7 (1.6%)	16 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (10.0%)	81.7	226^th of 1490 public elementary schools	84.8%		79.8	244^th of 1505 public elementary schools	83.8%	18	83.3	73.2	69.9				60.6	73.2	71.1				71.1		$9,481	$1,043	$8,438
Bladen Lakes Primary	Public	PK, KG-5	9554 Johnsontown Road	Elizabethtown	28337	Bladen County	Bladen County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 247-4608	166	9	19.2	95.8%	41 (24.7%)	37 (22.3%)	73 (44.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (9.0%)	20.7	1267^th of 1490 public elementary schools	15.0%		26	1180^th of 1505 public elementary schools	21.6%	87	45.0	53.8	44.4				40.0	26.9	29.6				40.7		$11,774	$2,123	$9,651
Alderman Road Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2860 Alderman Road	Fayetteville	28306	Cumberland County	Cumberland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 321-0398	655	40	16.4	96.2%	260 (39.7%)	225 (34.4%)	85 (13.0%)	2 (0.3%)	9 (1.4%)	7 (1.1%)	67 (10.2%)	50.3	744^th of 1490 public elementary schools	50.1%		59.1	601^st of 1505 public elementary schools	60.1%	143	71.6	54.7	52.3				51.0	53.7	48.6				58.7		$10,104	$1,239	$8,865
Magnolia Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	10928 US 301 North	Lumberton	28360	Robeson County	Public Schools of Robeson County	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 671-6070	779	47	16.4	99.6%	45 (5.8%)	38 (4.9%)	357 (45.8%)	5 (0.6%)	303 (38.9%)	2 (0.3%)	29 (3.7%)	32.1	1057^th of 1490 public elementary schools	29.1%		36.4	985^th of 1505 public elementary schools	34.6%	72	68.6	34.3	50.0	40.0	38.6	39.7	45.7	41.4	38.2	45.0	31.1	36.8	52.9	50.7	$9,903	$1,678	$8,225
L Gilbert Carroll	Public	4-5	300 Bailey Rd	Lumberton	28358	Robeson County	Public Schools of Robeson County	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 671-6098	494	26	19.0	99.4%	53 (10.7%)	204 (41.3%)	127 (25.7%)	12 (2.4%)	60 (12.1%)	2 (0.4%)	36 (7.3%)	3.9	1477^th of 1490 public elementary schools	0.9%		7.5	1455^th of 1505 public elementary schools	3.3%	22		25.1	23.9					31.4	20.7				25.1		$9,314	$1,452	$7,862

Frequently Asked Questions about Tar Heel School

Is Tar Heel School a good school?

Tar Heel School ranks in the bottom 15.6% of North Carolina elementary schools.

What district is Tar Heel School in?

Bladen County Schools

How many students attend Tar Heel School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 449 students attended Tar Heel School.

What schools do graduates of Tar Heel School attend?

Students who attend Tar Heel School usually go on to attend:

High : West Bladen High

What is the racial makeup of Tar Heel School?

Students at Tar Heel School are 37% Hispanic, 30% African American, 26% White, 6% Two or more races, 2% American Indian.

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Schools in Tar Heel, NC

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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.