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Graham A Barden Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1334^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 11% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Graham A Barden Elementary is a small PK–5 school in Havelock, NC, serving 237 students as part of the Craven County Board of Education, a district that ranks in the 42nd percentile statewide. The school's most striking feature is a dramatic, sustained decline: as recently as 2019 it was a 4-star school in the 80th–86th percentile, but by 2025–2026 it had fallen to the 11th percentile with a 1-star rating, placing it among the lowest-performing elementary schools in North Carolina. With about 92% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and a chronic absenteeism rate of 21.1%, Barden faces real challenges — yet nearby schools with similarly high poverty rates show that these outcomes are not inevitable.

The clearest academic concern is mathematics. In 2025–2026, Barden's 3rd graders scored 63% proficient in math, close to the state average of 66.4%. By 4th grade, proficiency fell to 24.2% versus 61.4% statewide, and by 5th grade it dropped to just 15.4% — more than 47 points below the state average. Reading results are more variable but generally below expectations. This pattern suggests that either academic gaps widen as students move through the school or that current upper-grade cohorts are especially challenged. Outcomes for nearly every student subgroup, including female students and students from low-income households, rank near the very bottom of statewide comparisons. Since Barden has only a few dozen students per grade, year-to-year swings are amplified, but the consistent multi-year decline in math is real and concerning.

Context makes the decline even more striking. Within two miles, W Jesse Gurganus Elementary ranks in the 92nd percentile with a 5-star rating, while Havelock Elementary sits at the 7th percentile — dramatic variation within the same district and community. High-poverty schools elsewhere in the region, including Bogue Sound Elementary (84th percentile with 99% economically disadvantaged students) and Morehead City Primary, demonstrate that poverty alone is not destiny. Barden also spends more per student ($11,632) than top performers like Creekside Elementary ($9,117), meaning additional resources are not translating into results. For parents, the key questions for school leadership are how they plan to reverse the upper-grade math slide, improve attendance, and replicate the success of high-poverty schools in nearby districts.

237

Students ?

14.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

92%

Free/discounted lunch ?

200 Cedar Drive
Havelock, NC 28532-2197

(252) 444-5100

District: Craven County Board of Education

Students who attend Graham A Barden Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Havelock Middle
High:	Havelock High

Racial breakdown:

White:

42.6%

Hispanic:

25.7%

African American:

18.6%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Graham A Barden Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 80th percentile in 2016 → 11th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (38% vs 61% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (11th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 69 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school38%

District avg57%

North Carolina avg61%

1,334^th of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 11%▼ down 69 pts since 2016

From top 20% (2016) to bottom 11% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

142^nd of 246Craven County Board of Education 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	17.0	1334 of 1492	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	26.1	1152 of 1490	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	27.5	1153 of 1505	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	44.2	865 of 1502	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	54.5	668 of 1514	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	44.3	797 of 1489	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	77.8	260 of 1473	82.3%	★★★★☆
2018	80.0	228 of 1434	84.1%	★★★★☆
2017	81.6	198 of 1429	86.1%	★★★★☆
2016	76.8	285 of 1425	80.0%	★★★★☆
2015	86.3	140 of 1440	90.3%	★★★★★
2014	72.4	354 of 1390	74.5%	★★★★☆
2013	72.8	318 of 1403	77.3%	★★★★☆
2012	67.2	454 of 1388	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2011	66.1	493 of 1381	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2010	77.7	243 of 1363	82.2%	★★★★☆
2009	56.7	673 of 1354	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2008	62.8	500 of 1324	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2007	68.4	382 of 1293	70.5%	★★★★☆
2006	72.6	297 of 1276	76.7%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	13.1	1350 of 1447	6.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	28.7	1110 of 1451	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	35.6	994 of 1455	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.0	936 of 1459	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	45.9	782 of 1458	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	38.2	859 of 1440	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	69.7	393 of 1424	72.4%	★★★★☆
2018	62.8	525 of 1405	62.6%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	46.1	458 of 893	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	84.2	68 of 851	92.0%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	20.6	1287 of 1434	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	27.4	1180 of 1437	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	28.6	1151 of 1450	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	55.1	598 of 1437	58.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	77.0	180 of 1366	86.8%	★★★★☆
2021	61.6	392 of 1329	70.5%	★★★★☆
2019	92.2	36 of 1361	97.4%	★★★★★
2018	87.9	61 of 1332	95.4%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	29.2	1077 of 1451	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	16.6	1316 of 1450	9.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	22.7	1206 of 1464	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	49.7	752 of 1461	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	60.1	568 of 1464	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	50.6	677 of 1444	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	80.6	210 of 1430	85.3%	★★★★☆
2018	90.3	87 of 1413	93.8%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	6.1	1129 of 1146	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	29.1	913 of 1172	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	32.3	858 of 1166	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	44.2	697 of 1183	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	46.1	667 of 1194	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	24.4	954 of 1172	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	62.2	434 of 1183	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.8	600 of 1178	49.1%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Hispanic (2022)49th percentile-7 vs school

Male (2026)26th percentile+15 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)10th percentile~ school

Female (2026)7th percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)1st percentile-9 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science46%-21 vs state

Reading40%-17 vs state

Mathematics34%-30 vs state

2.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★0

4★0

3★1

2★0

1★1

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What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Staff is very unprofessional and do not return calls or give updates on childs performance. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, December 31, 2009

It is hard to judge, since my first grader has only attended GAB, but we have mixed reviews. It is an older school that is in need of some upgrades (which are supposedly in the works). The teachers that my son has had have seemed to try hard, but they lean heavily on under qualified assistants due to the 22 to 1 student-to-teacher ratio. The school claims to have an accelerated program to help accelerated students, but all that my son has received is a trip to a higher grades to read and a couple extra worksheets sent home more than his peers. After multiple requests to keep my son engaged in school, there remains little change. I sympathize that some of the 21 other students need the attention to get to the necessary levels, but I don’t feel my son should be held back. Both years the solution has been suggested to move him to the next grade, but being the youngest in your grade through each year has a stigma too. It doesn’t seem too much to ask for my son, regardless of what level he came to GAB, to continue to learn and be engaged. Most of my fellow Marines dismiss it as the NC school system…seriously? Close Quote

Schools Near Graham A Barden Elementary

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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)				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 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
Graham A Barden Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Cedar Drive	Havelock	28532	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 444-5100	237	17	14.0	92.0%	101 (42.6%)	44 (18.6%)	61 (25.7%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	26 (11.0%)	17	1334^th of 1492 public elementary schools	10.6%		26.1	1152^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	22.7%	182	63.0	24.2	15.4				37.0	33.3	50.0				46.2		$11,632	$1,529	$10,103
Arthur W Edwards Elementary	Public	K-5	200 Education Lane	Havelock	28532	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 444-5140	489	33	14.8	48.5%	275 (56.2%)	48 (9.8%)	104 (21.3%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	54 (11.0%)	27.7	1144^th of 1492 public elementary schools	23.3%		40.1	913^th of 1490 public elementary schools	38.7%	231	43.6	53.1	51.7				39.7	49.4	48.3				56.7		$9,857	$1,096	$8,761
Havelock Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	201 Cunningham Boulevard	Havelock	28532	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 444-5106	248	20	12.6	93.5%	100 (40.3%)	58 (23.4%)	33 (13.3%)	6 (2.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (20.2%)	12.9	1388^th of 1492 public elementary schools	7.0%		41.3	894^th of 1490 public elementary schools	40.0%	494	51.3	40.6	27.9				35.9	43.8	30.2				46.5		$12,745	$1,955	$10,790
W Jesse Gurganus Elementary	Public	K-5	535 Hwy 70 W	Havelock	28532	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 444-5150	340	25	13.8	46.2%	207 (60.9%)	29 (8.5%)	50 (14.7%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.2%)	47 (13.8%)	89.6	120^th of 1492 public elementary schools	92.0%		88	138^th of 1490 public elementary schools	90.7%	18	92.1	90.5	81.0				76.3	76.2	67.2				87.9		$10,110	$977	$9,133
Roger Bell New Technical Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	804 Fontana Boulevard	Havelock	28532	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 444-5133	408	24	16.8	97.8%	186 (45.6%)	101 (24.8%)	45 (11.0%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	73 (17.9%)	42.5	869^th of 1492 public elementary schools	41.8%		58.5	591^st of 1490 public elementary schools	60.3%	278	76.4	54.3	49.2				38.2	45.7	52.5				74.6		$11,854	$1,590	$10,264
Newport Elementary	Public	K-5	219 Chatham St	Newport	28570	Carteret County	Carteret County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 223-4201	621	49	12.7	99.5%	437 (70.4%)	39 (6.3%)	68 (11.0%)	2 (0.3%)	4 (0.6%)	4 (0.6%)	67 (10.8%)	62.4	543^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	63.6%		62.2	529^th of 1490 public elementary schools	64.5%	14	62.5	66.4	64.3				60.2	59.1	59.8				77.7		$10,259	$1,539	$8,720
Creekside Elementary	Public	K-5	2790 Landscape Drive	New Bern	28562	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	No	(252) 514-4360	453	31	14.3	27.8%	302 (66.7%)	33 (7.3%)	72 (15.9%)	17 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.4%)	90.6	108^th of 1492 public elementary schools	92.8%		90.8	99^th of 1490 public elementary schools	93.4%	9	83.1	88.6	90.0				69.9	75.9	76.7				93.3		$9,117	$852	$8,265
Bogue Sound Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3323 Hwy 24	Newport	28570	Carteret County	Carteret County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 393-1279	416	31	13.3	99.3%	319 (76.7%)	6 (1.4%)	61 (14.7%)	6 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.5%)	80.5	238^th of 1492 public elementary schools	84.0%		86.3	154^th of 1490 public elementary schools	89.7%	84	75.7	76.2	83.3				57.1	68.3	74.4				84.6		$11,438	$1,048	$10,390
Riverside Leadership Academy	Public, Charter	K-7	1955 Old Airport Rd	New Bern	28562	Craven County	Riverside Leadership Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(252) 276-2150	374				221 (59.1%)	51 (13.6%)	46 (12.3%)	13 (3.5%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	41 (11.0%)	35.5	992^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	33.5%					(n/a)	51.9	29.2	52.2	44.9	58.0	36.8	48.1	50.0	43.5	59.2	68.0	55.3	76.1	60.5
Brinson Memorial Elementary	Public	K-5	319 Neuse Forest Avenue	New Bern	28560	Craven County	Craven County Board of Education	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 514-6431	446	29	15.4	97.5%	228 (51.1%)	86 (19.3%)	79 (17.7%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	45 (10.1%)	53.5	674^th of 1492 public elementary schools	54.8%		55.5	644^th of 1490 public elementary schools	56.8%	30	75.6	74.1	46.4				54.4	70.7	53.6				58.3		$11,008	$1,379	$9,629

Frequently Asked Questions about Graham A Barden Elementary

What schools do graduates of Graham A Barden Elementary attend?

Students who attend Graham A Barden Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Havelock Middle
High : Havelock High

How many students attend Graham A Barden Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 237 students attended Graham A Barden Elementary.

What district is Graham A Barden Elementary in?

Craven County Board of Education

What is the racial makeup of Graham A Barden Elementary?

Students at Graham A Barden Elementary are 43% White, 26% Hispanic, 19% African American, 11% Two or more races.

Is Graham A Barden Elementary a good school?

Graham A Barden Elementary ranks in the bottom 10.6% of North Carolina elementary schools.

Rate Graham A Barden Elementary!

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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.