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R Freeman School of Engineering

Q: Is R Freeman School of Engineering a good school?

R Freeman School of Engineering ranks in the bottom 0.0% of North Carolina elementary schools.

Q: How many students attend R Freeman School of Engineering?

In the 2024-25 school year, 241 students attended R Freeman School of Engineering.

Q: What is the racial makeup of R Freeman School of Engineering?

Students at R Freeman School of Engineering are 71% African American, 18% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 3% White.

Public, Magnet Grades K-5

1492^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 0% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

R Freeman School of Engineering is a K-5 elementary school in Wilmington, NC that serves 241 students in the New Hanover County Schools district, nearly all of whom (98.8%) qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite being in a district that ranks above average statewide, the school sits at the bottom of North Carolina’s elementary school rankings: in the most recent year, it placed 1,492 out of 1,492 schools (0th percentile), and it has never risen above the 5th percentile since at least 2015-2016.

Academic proficiency is dramatically below district and state averages. For example, only 9.8% of 4th graders scored proficient in math, compared with 67.2% across the district; 3rd grade reading proficiency was 9.6% versus a district rate of 57.3%. Chronic absenteeism is also a serious concern, with 40.6% of students missing enough school to be considered chronically absent, versus roughly 24% for both the district and state. These struggles are not inevitable outcomes of poverty: The International School at Gregory is less than two miles away in the same district, serves an even higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (99.4%), and yet ranks in the 53rd percentile with 43.9% of 3rd graders proficient in math and only 15.1% chronic absenteeism.

Notably, resources do not appear to be the limiting factor—R Freeman has a 10.8:1 student-teacher ratio and per-student spending around $16,676, both in line with or better than nearby peers. The school has also shown one positive trend: 5th grade science proficiency rose from 10.4% in 2022-2023 to 34.2% recently, though it still trails the district by roughly 38 percentage points. Despite its “Engineering” theme, math outcomes are extremely low. Given a decade of bottom-of-state results and a large attendance gap, this is a school that appears to need urgent, targeted intervention to get students on track.

241

Students ?

10.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

98.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2601 Princess Place Drive
Wilmington, NC 28405

(910) 251-6011

District: New Hanover County Schools

Students who attend R Freeman School of Engineering usually attend:

Middle:	Holly Shelter Middle
High:	New Hanover High

Racial breakdown:

African American:

70.5%

Hispanic:

18.3%

Two or more races:

7.5%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare R Freeman School of Engineering to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 2nd percentile in 2016 → <1st in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (17% vs 61% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (<1st percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (41% vs 24% North Carolina)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school17%

District avg65%

North Carolina avg61%

1,492^nd of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 1%▼ down 2 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

84^th of 246New Hanover 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	0.9	1492 of 1492	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	1.1	1488 of 1490	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	1.1	1503 of 1505	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	2.8	1495 of 1502	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	1.9	1514 of 1514	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	4.3	1473 of 1489	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	4.9	1439 of 1473	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	8.4	1356 of 1434	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	2.3	1414 of 1429	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	4.9	1392 of 1425	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	9.3	1346 of 1440	6.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	12.6	1260 of 1390	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	19.5	1196 of 1403	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	16.6	1258 of 1388	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	23.0	1163 of 1381	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	40.0	930 of 1363	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2009	19.7	1167 of 1354	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	9.5	1252 of 1324	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	27.2	1062 of 1293	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	29.5	1013 of 1276	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	2.8	902 of 903	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	3.5	917 of 918	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	4.6	923 of 924	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	6.4	926 of 933	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	9.6	917 of 927	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	10.6	894 of 896	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	18.4	874 of 949	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	21.9	801 of 927	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2018	52.4	354 of 897	60.5%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	1.4	1446 of 1447	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	1.9	1450 of 1451	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	1.8	1452 of 1455	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	2.5	1457 of 1459	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	4.2	1454 of 1458	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	6.4	1418 of 1440	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	6.1	1392 of 1424	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	4.2	1380 of 1405	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	25.9	8 of 8	0.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	3.0	1432 of 1434	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	2.8	1435 of 1437	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	2.3	1446 of 1450	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	6.1	1423 of 1437	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	6.8	1359 of 1366	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	10.7	1303 of 1329	2.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	11.3	1309 of 1361	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	15.7	1233 of 1332	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	2.2	1449 of 1451	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	1.2	1449 of 1450	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	1.3	1463 of 1464	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	7.2	1412 of 1461	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	1.6	1464 of 1464	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	4.9	1426 of 1444	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	6.6	1395 of 1430	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	16.7	1257 of 1413	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Disabled (2018)61st percentile+55 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)<1st percentile~ school

Male (2026)<1st percentile~ school

African American (2026)<1st percentile~ school

Female (2026)<1st percentile~ school

Homeless (2022)<1st percentile~ school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science34%-33 vs state

Reading15%-41 vs state

Mathematics15%-49 vs state

★

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Schools Near R Freeman School of Engineering

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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
R Freeman School of Engineering	Public, Magnet	K-5	2601 Princess Place Drive	Wilmington	28405	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(910) 251-6011	241	22	10.8	98.8%	7 (2.9%)	170 (70.5%)	44 (18.3%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (7.5%)	0.9	1492^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	0.0%		1.1	1488^th of 1490 public elementary schools	0.1%	4	13.5	9.8	21.1				9.6	21.4	15.8				34.2		$16,676	$2,332	$14,344
A H Snipes Academy of Arts/Des	Public, Magnet	K-5	2150 Chestnut Street	Wilmington	28405	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(910) 251-6175	342	27	12.7	99.1%	37 (10.8%)	216 (63.2%)	60 (17.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.2%)	8.5	1439^th of 1492 public elementary schools	3.6%		14.6	1353^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	9.2%	86	50.0	25.0	29.6				32.4	21.4	25.9				50.0		$15,103	$2,324	$12,779
Forest Hills Global Elementary	Public	K-5	602 Colonial Drive	Wilmington	28403	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 251-6190	340	32	10.7	99.1%	43 (12.6%)	146 (42.9%)	130 (38.2%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.3%)	22.6	1234^th of 1492 public elementary schools	17.3%		13.5	1373^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	7.9%	139	45.2	59.3	64.4				14.3	38.9	28.8				44.1		$14,096	$1,993	$12,103
Wilmington Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	134 Cinema Drive	Wilmington	28403	New Hanover County	Wilmington Preparatory Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(910) 799-6776	91	12	7.7		9 (9.9%)	65 (71.4%)	11 (12.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (6.6%)	2.8	1487^th of 1492 public elementary schools	0.3%		28.6	1108^th of 1490 public elementary schools	25.6%	379	8.3	18.2	16.7	7.1	38.5		25.0	27.3	33.3	21.4	61.5		33.3
The International School at Gregory	Public, Magnet	K-8	1106 Ann St	Wilmington	28401	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(910) 251-6185	514	37	13.7	99.4%	171 (33.3%)	114 (22.2%)	198 (38.5%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.4%)	51.8	700^th of 1492 public elementary schools	53.1%		58.3	594^th of 1490 public elementary schools	60.1%	106	43.9	51.7	69.8	65.3	60.5	79.3	40.4	48.3	69.8	67.3	73.7	75.9	79.2	79.3	$18,192	$1,517	$16,675
D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy	Public	K-8	813 Nixon Street	Wilmington	28401	New Hanover County	D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 251-6150	162	7	30.3	94.4%	6 (3.7%)	146 (90.1%)	4 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.7%)	1.1	1490^th of 1492 public elementary schools	0.1%		1	1489^th of 1490 public elementary schools	0.1%	1	5.9	534.9	15.4	535.2	6.3	< 5%	5.9	30.0	537.4	537.9	6.3	25.0	334.1	50.0
Classical Charter Schools of Wilmington	Public, Charter	K-5	507 N 6th Street	Wilmington	28401	New Hanover County	Classical Charter Schools of Wilmington	Yes	No	No	Yes	(910) 763-1976	140	6	23.3	85.7%	24 (17.1%)	74 (52.9%)	25 (17.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (12.1%)	17.9	1320^th of 1492 public elementary schools	11.5%		32.9	1038^th of 1490 public elementary schools	30.3%	282	47.4	33.3	45.5				26.3	53.3	45.5				45.5
Wilmington School of the Arts	Public, Virtual, Charter	K-7	1306 Floral Pkwy	Wilmington	28406	New Hanover County	Wilmington School of the Arts	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	(910) 399-3712	297	20	14.7	58.2%	192 (64.6%)	26 (8.8%)	32 (10.8%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	5 (1.7%)	38 (12.8%)	61.7	553^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	62.9%		51	730^th of 1490 public elementary schools	51.0%	177	62.2	66.0	51.2	55.6	50.0		66.7	72.3	68.3	66.7	54.5		63.4
Lake Forest Academy	Public	K-8	1802 S 15th Street	Wilmington	28401	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 772-2515	45	14	3.2	93.3%	14 (31.1%)	21 (46.7%)	3 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (13.3%)								(n/a)															$44,023	$483	$43,539
Edwin A Alderman Elementary	Public	K-5	2025 Independence Blvd	Wilmington	28403	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 350-2031	255	22	11.4	98.8%	108 (42.4%)	89 (34.9%)	32 (12.5%)	8 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (7.1%)	12.1	1395^th of 1492 public elementary schools	6.5%		12.1	1392^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	6.6%	3	35.9	31.8	35.0				41.0	31.8	32.5				57.5		$14,178	$1,969	$12,209

Frequently Asked Questions about R Freeman School of Engineering

What is the racial makeup of R Freeman School of Engineering?

Students at R Freeman School of Engineering are 71% African American, 18% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 3% White.

Is R Freeman School of Engineering a good school?

R Freeman School of Engineering ranks in the bottom 0.0% of North Carolina elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of R Freeman School of Engineering attend?

Students who attend R Freeman School of Engineering usually go on to attend:

Middle : Holly Shelter Middle
High : New Hanover High

What district is R Freeman School of Engineering in?

New Hanover County Schools

How many students attend R Freeman School of Engineering?

In the 2024-25 school year, 241 students attended R Freeman School of Engineering.

Rate R Freeman School of Engineering!

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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.