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James Kenan High

Public Grades 9-12

571^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 662 North Carolina High Schools

Better than 14% of North Carolina high schools

Summary

James Kenan High is a comprehensive public high school serving approximately 758 students in grades 9–12 in Warsaw, North Carolina, within Duplin County Schools, ranking in the bottom 14 percent of North Carolina high schools. Nearly all students (99.6%) come from economically disadvantaged households, which provides important context for interpreting test scores and graduation rates. The school has held a 1-star rating and a statewide percentile between 9 and 21 over recent years, with no sustained period of high performance.

Academically, James Kenan trails both its district and the state on every End-of-Course exam. The greatest relative strength is Math III, where 56.5% of students score proficient—close to the district average and better than nearby Wallace-Rose Hill High and Clinton High. Math I is the weakest area, with only 22.5% proficient, roughly half the rate of Southern Wayne High and Spring Creek High despite similarly high poverty levels. The graduation rate of 79.7% also lags the district (84.0%) and state (88.8%). Notably, James Kenan outperforms Wallace-Rose Hill on all four tests, yet Wallace-Rose Hill graduates a higher share of its students (84.9%).

There are genuinely encouraging signals. Chronic absenteeism has improved from 27.0% to 18.8% over three years—better than the state average and many nearby schools including Clinton High, Union High, and Spring Creek High. English Learner students rank at the 36th percentile statewide, the school's highest subgroup score. The student-teacher ratio of 15.3 is more favorable than most neighboring high schools. Still, families considering James Kenan should weigh its stronger same-district options—Duplin Early College High, ranked in the 71st percentile, and North Duplin Junior Senior High—alongside its improving attendance and targeted areas of academic strength.

758

Students ?

15.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,706

Per pupil spending ?

99.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1241 Nc 24 & 50
Warsaw, NC 28398-9533

(910) 293-4218

District: Duplin County Schools

Feeder schools for James Kenan High:

Elementary:	Kenansville Elementary
	Warsaw Elementary

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

53.3%

African American:

28.8%

White:

14.6%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare James Kenan High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 29th percentile in 2016 → 14th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (37% vs 60% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (14th percentile)

!Graduation rate below the North Carolina average (80% vs 89%)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school37%

District avg42%

North Carolina avg60%

571^st of 662

North Carolina public high schools ?

Bottom 14%▼ down 15 pts since 2016

From bottom 29% (2016) to bottom 14% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 4High Schools in the Duplin County Schools

201^st of 246Duplin 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)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	16.8	571 of 662	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	22.6	509 of 641	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.1	522 of 640	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	16.0	536 of 626	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	14.0	549 of 621	11.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	12.3	541 of 594	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	14.9	440 of 514	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	14.5	402 of 469	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	16.8	387 of 476	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	23.9	361 of 507	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	13.3	440 of 531	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	8.3	423 of 451	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	17.9	401 of 505	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	24.2	404 of 502	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	43.4	333 of 506	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2010	46.5	311 of 499	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2009	36.0	365 of 490	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	27.4	389 of 477	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	15.1	404 of 453	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	30.6	343 of 431	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	24.9	358 of 450	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	38.1	249 of 440	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	26.5	334 of 437	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.7	342 of 434	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	18.2	393 of 430	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	16.8	342 of 364	6.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	17.5	337 of 369	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	21.2	303 of 359	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	21.0	294 of 330	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	25.5	279 of 349	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	37.6	184 of 289	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	37.5	164 of 273	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	35.9	166 of 262	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	26.2	127 of 156	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	19.6	120 of 124	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	21.8	158 of 173	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	51.7	54 of 147	63.3%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	16.6	548 of 629	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	22.8	490 of 610	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.8	478 of 602	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	16.7	510 of 588	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	12.5	531 of 594	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	8.6	454 of 475	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	11.3	440 of 475	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	13.3	400 of 449	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	50.1	275 of 407	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	43.1	289 of 412	29.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	57.4	217 of 403	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	6.4	388 of 403	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	25.7	344 of 398	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	62.7	135 of 337	59.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	67.4	90 of 325	72.3%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	20.3	401 of 474	15.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	24.3	371 of 462	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.0	355 of 454	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	20.1	389 of 449	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	20.6	376 of 436	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	18.9	320 of 370	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	19.4	311 of 354	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.4	272 of 340	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	20.7	533 of 620	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	27.1	469 of 606	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.0	472 of 613	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.7	477 of 597	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	19.9	472 of 544	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	13.2	416 of 432	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	19.8	374 of 446	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	16.5	372 of 424	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	14.5	560 of 624	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	21.2	496 of 601	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	15.6	530 of 607	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	14.3	532 of 602	11.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	15.0	521 of 585	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	15.4	414 of 481	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	14.8	429 of 488	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	12.4	414 of 463	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	26.6	286 of 372	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	18.1	477 of 551	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	24.3	446 of 542	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.1	454 of 553	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	11.3	497 of 537	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	17.9	469 of 534	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	13.5	399 of 439	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	36.5	271 of 444	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	20.9	368 of 427	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

English Language Learner (2026)36th percentile+23 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)32nd percentile+19 vs school

Special Education (2026)23rd percentile+9 vs school

African American (2026)20th percentile+7 vs school

Hispanic (2026)15th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)14th percentile~ school

White (2026)13th percentile~ school

Female (2026)13th percentile~ school

Disabled (2022)11th percentile~ school

Male (2026)10th percentile-3 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Math III56%-12 vs state

English II40%-25 vs state

Biology31%-27 vs state

Math I23%-20 vs state

5.0

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What people are saying

by a citizen
Monday, August 30, 2021

great school go CLASS OF 05!!!!!!!!!!! Close Quote

Schools Near James Kenan High

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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)				EOC Biology (2026)	EOC English II (2026)	EOC Math I (2026)	EOC Math III (2026)	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	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
James Kenan High	Public	9-12	1241 Nc 24 & 50	Warsaw	28398	Duplin County	Duplin County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 293-4218	758	49	15.3	99.6%	111 (14.6%)	218 (28.8%)	404 (53.3%)	4 (0.5%)	5 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	15 (2.0%)	16.8	571^st of 662 public high schools	13.7%		22.6	509^th of 641 public high schools	20.6%	62	31.3	39.7	22.5	56.5						$9,706	$964	$8,742
Duplin Early College High	Public	9-12	212 James Sprunt Dr	Kenansville	28349	Duplin County	Duplin County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 296-1136	199	8	24.2	98.5%	51 (25.6%)	44 (22.1%)	97 (48.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.5%)	69.8	189^th of 662 public high schools	71.5%		69.3	180^th of 641 public high schools	71.9%	9	69.6	73.9	52.6	90.7						$7,848	$494	$7,355
North Duplin Junior Senior High	Public	7-12	1388 West NC 403 Highway	Mount Olive	28365	Wayne County	Duplin County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 658-3051	609	38	16.0	99.5%	199 (32.7%)	50 (8.2%)	335 (55.0%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.6%)	52	322^nd of 662 public high schools	51.4%		48.2	315^th of 641 public high schools	50.9%	7	60.0	67.7	51.3	67.0	62.4	59.8	59.6	59.8	79.4	$9,828	$420	$9,408
Wallace-Rose Hill High	Public	9-12	602 High School Road	Teachey	28464	Duplin County	Duplin County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 285-7501	738	42	17.4	99.6%	140 (19.0%)	205 (27.8%)	364 (49.3%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.0%)	12	595^th of 662 public high schools	10.1%		11.5	590^th of 641 public high schools	8.0%	5	25.0	37.0	16.2	51.2						$12,968	$891	$12,077
East Duplin High	Public	9-12	394 North NC Highway 111	Beulaville	28518	Duplin County	Duplin County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 298-4535	864	51	16.7	99.5%	358 (41.4%)	85 (9.8%)	385 (44.6%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (3.9%)	20	552^nd of 662 public high schools	16.6%		35.5	407^th of 641 public high schools	36.5%	145	42.3	35.5	26.1	56.4						$9,554	$893	$8,661
Clinton High	Public	9-12	340 Indian Town Road	Clinton	28328	Sampson County	Clinton City Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 592-2067	828	44	18.8	99.6%	181 (21.9%)	274 (33.1%)	305 (36.8%)	3 (0.4%)	24 (2.9%)	1 (0.1%)	40 (4.8%)	20.5	548^th of 662 public high schools	17.2%		28.4	469^th of 641 public high schools	26.8%	79	38.6	47.4	23.2	52.9						$10,512	$1,042	$9,470
Union High	Public	9-12	1189 Kader Merritt Road	Rose Hill	28458	Duplin County	Sampson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 532-6300	494	29	17.0	99.2%	80 (16.2%)	112 (22.7%)	283 (57.3%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	13 (2.6%)	21.6	542^nd of 662 public high schools	18.1%		24.2	499^th of 641 public high schools	22.2%	43	37.5	46.5	26.4	56.5						$10,781	$1,362	$9,419
Sampson Early College High	Public	9-12	1801 Sunset Ave	Clinton	28329	Sampson County	Sampson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 592-7177	229	9	24.6	98.7%	54 (23.6%)	21 (9.2%)	143 (62.4%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	8 (3.5%)	92.9	36^th of 662 public high schools	94.6%		93.8	41^st of 641 public high schools	93.6%	5	95.3	96.4	86.7	100.0						$7,255	$590	$6,666
Southern Wayne High	Public	9-12	124 Walter Fulcher Rd	Dudley	28333	Wayne County	Wayne County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 705-6060	1,007	41	24.2	97.9%	208 (20.7%)	328 (32.6%)	446 (44.3%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	20 (2.0%)	36.7	426^th of 662 public high schools	35.6%		25.5	490^th of 641 public high schools	23.6%	64	50.0	46.5	48.9	62.8						$9,549	$903	$8,646
Spring Creek High	Public	9-12	4340 Indian Springs Rd	Seven Springs	28578	Wayne County	Wayne County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 751-7160	732	32	22.9	98.6%	137 (18.7%)	114 (15.6%)	454 (62.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.6%)	41.8	393^rd of 662 public high schools	40.6%		51.1	287^th of 641 public high schools	55.2%	106	53.0	52.0	52.0	63.9						$9,260	$926	$8,335

Frequently Asked Questions about James Kenan High

What district is James Kenan High in?

Duplin County Schools

What is the racial makeup of James Kenan High?

Students at James Kenan High are 53% Hispanic, 29% African American, 15% White, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend James Kenan High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 758 students attended James Kenan High.

What schools feed into James Kenan High?

James Kenan High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Kenansville Elementary
Elementary : Warsaw Elementary

Is James Kenan High a good school?

James Kenan High ranks in the bottom 13.7% of North Carolina high schools.

Rate James Kenan High!

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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.