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James Kenan High

Public Grades 9-12

509^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 641 North Carolina High Schools

Better than 21% of North Carolina high schools

Summary

James Kenan High is a public high school located in Warsaw, North Carolina, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 775 students. The school is part of the Duplin County Schools district, which is ranked 196 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and is rated 1 star out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

James Kenan High has consistently ranked in the bottom half of North Carolina high schools, with a statewide rank ranging from 387 to 549 out of 476 to 641 schools over the past 10 years. The school has maintained a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating poor academic performance. The school's performance across different student subgroups is also concerning, with the school ranking in the bottom half of North Carolina high schools for female, male, Hispanic, and White students. However, the school performs slightly better for African American and English Language Learner students, ranking in the middle third of schools.

While nearby schools in the Duplin County Schools district, such as Wallace-Rose Hill High and East Duplin High, perform slightly better than James Kenan High on academic metrics, the presence of Duplin Early College High, a high-performing school within the same district, suggests that targeted interventions and resource allocation could potentially help improve outcomes at James Kenan High. Additionally, the school's extremely high percentage of students (over 99%) who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of poverty among the student population, may be a crucial factor in driving academic improvement at the school.

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: Holding steady — 17th percentile in 2015 → 21st in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (35% vs 53% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (21st percentile)

!Graduation rate below the North Carolina average (77% vs 88%)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school35%

District avg40%

North Carolina avg53%

509^th of 641

North Carolina public high schools ?

Bottom 21%▲ up 3 pts since 2015

From bottom 17% (2015) to bottom 21% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 5High Schools in the Duplin County Schools

196^th of 242Duplin 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
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)

African American (2025)43rd percentile+23 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)40th percentile+19 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2025)30th percentile+9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)23rd percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)20th percentile~ school

Female (2025)20th percentile~ school

White (2025)18th percentile-3 vs school

Male (2025)17th percentile-3 vs school

Disabled (2022)11th percentile~ school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Math III57%-9 vs state

English II33%-27 vs state

Math I28%-7 vs state

Biology27%-22 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

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOC Biology (2025)	EOC English II (2025)	EOC Math I (2025)	EOC Math III (2025)	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	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%)	22.6	509^th of 641 public high schools	20.6%		19.1	522^nd of 640 public high schools	18.4%	13	26.7	32.6	27.7	57.4						$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%)	69.3	180^th of 641 public high schools	71.9%		47.1	317^th of 640 public high schools	50.5%	137	55.1	76.0	75.0	66.7						$7,848	$494	$7,355
North Duplin Junior Senior High	Public	7-12	1388 West NC 403 Highway	Mount Olive	28365	Duplin 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%)	48.2	315^th of 641 public high schools	50.9%		36.5	397^th of 640 public high schools	38.0%	82	45.7	51.0	50.0	67.3	58.1	45.2	55.2	61.3	62.4	$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%)	11.5	590^th of 641 public high schools	8.0%		18.8	524^th of 640 public high schools	18.1%	66	15.8	30.4	17.0	43.4						$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%)	35.5	407^th of 641 public high schools	36.5%		33.6	414^th of 640 public high schools	35.3%	7	30.7	44.1	37.2	69.1						$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%)	28.4	469^th of 641 public high schools	26.8%		23.4	493^rd of 640 public high schools	23.0%	24	38.8	42.3	23.1	58.1						$10,512	$1,042	$9,470
Union High	Public	9-12	1189 Kader Merritt Road	Rose Hill	28458	Sampson 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%)	24.2	499^th of 641 public high schools	22.2%		25.4	480^th of 640 public high schools	25.0%	19	31.7	45.0	21.1	53.7						$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%)	93.8	41^st of 641 public high schools	93.6%		94.2	34^th of 640 public high schools	94.7%	7	90.5	90.0	89.3	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%)	25.5	490^th of 641 public high schools	23.6%		12.5	575^th of 640 public high schools	10.2%	85	28.4	41.9	34.1	49.0						$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%)	51.1	287^th of 641 public high schools	55.2%		33.7	413^th of 640 public high schools	35.5%	126	39.5	64.4	67.8	43.7						$9,260	$926	$8,335

Frequently Asked Questions about 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

How many students attend James Kenan High?

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

Is James Kenan High a good school?

James Kenan High ranks in the bottom 20.6% of North Carolina high schools.

Rate James Kenan High!

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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.