Supply Elementary

Supply Elementary is a PK-5 public school in Supply, NC, serving about 580 students as part of Brunswick County Schools. Nearly all students (99.5%) qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and class sizes are moderate at about 15 students per teacher. Supply is currently rated 1 star and ranks in the 26th percentile of North Carolina elementary schools — the lowest among nearby schools in its area. That gap is especially notable because neighboring schools like Union Elementary and Town Creek Elementary serve essentially the same student population yet rank in the 84th and 82nd percentiles, respectively. In other words, the community's economic profile alone does not explain Supply's results.

The school does have some bright spots. Third graders at Supply scored 69.7% proficient in math, matching the district average and slightly above the state rate. But that momentum is lost in 4th grade, where math proficiency plunges to 38.1% — a drop of more than 30 points that has repeated every year for the past several years. Nearby schools, including Southport Elementary and Union Elementary, do not show this pattern. Reading is also a persistent concern, with proficiency in grades 3 through 5 sitting between 38% and 44%, roughly 15 to 20 points below the state average. Fifth-grade science is the weakest in the local comparison group as well: 56.2% proficient, compared with 72.9% or higher at peer schools like Bolivia Elementary and Virginia Williamson Elementary.

Chronic absenteeism affects 27.1% of Supply students — nearly double the rate at higher-performing neighbors such as Town Creek Elementary (16.1%) and Union Elementary (14.5%) — making attendance one clear area for improvement. Outcomes also vary widely by student group: special education students rank in the 8th percentile statewide, while English language learners have improved dramatically in recent years. For parents, the encouraging context is that schools in the same district, serving the same high-poverty community, are achieving much stronger results. That proximity suggests meaningful improvement is possible at Supply Elementary with focused attention on the 4th-grade transition, schoolwide literacy support, and consistent attendance.