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Isaac M Bear Early College High School

Public Grades 9-12

53^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 662 North Carolina High Schools

Better than 92% of North Carolina high schools

Summary

Isaac M Bear Early College High School in Wilmington, NC, is a small early college academy serving roughly 260 students in grades 9–12 within New Hanover County Schools, and it stands as one of the strongest high schools in the state, earning a #53 ranking out of 662 North Carolina high schools and a five-star rating for 2025–2026. The school has received five stars in every reported year, with recent state rankings ranging from #21 to #63 and frequent top-ten statewide finishes prior to 2020. That record puts it well above nearby comprehensive high schools including John T Hoggard High (#213), Eugene Ashley High (#310), Emsley A Laney High (#378), and New Hanover High (#533). Only SEA-Technical (#57) and Wilmington Early College High (#119) are similarly strong nearby.

Isaac Bear's end-of-course test results are far above district and state norms. Math I proficiency was 100% and Math III was 98.6% in 2025–2026, while English II reached 98.5% and Biology 91% the previous year — roughly double or triple the proficiency rates posted at most traditional Wilmington high schools. The school also ranks exceptionally well across student subgroups, including a top-10 statewide showing for male students and a top-50 rank for low-income students, indicating that strong results are not limited to one segment of the student body. Attendance is another strength: chronic absenteeism stood at just 7.1%, closely matching SEA-Technical (7.8%) and Wilmington Early College High (8.8%) and far below the 25.7% to 38.2% range seen at nearby traditional schools.

One notable difference from other early colleges is the school's economic profile: 25.8% of Isaac Bear students receive free or reduced-price lunch, compared to roughly 99% at Wilmington Early College High and SEA-Technical, and its student-teacher ratio of 24.7 is actually higher than most nearby campuses. The gifted and talented subgroup is the one relative soft spot, ranking in the 76th–77th percentile in recent years after a 98th-percentile showing in 2021–2022. Given the small enrollment of 260 students, annual ranking shifts are expected, but Isaac Bear's long record of five-star ratings and near-universal test proficiency make it a clear academic standout in southeastern North Carolina.

260

Students ?

24.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

25.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

630 MacMillan Avenue
Wilmington, NC 28403

(910) 350-1387

District: New Hanover County Schools

Racial breakdown:

White:

62.3%

Hispanic:

18.1%

Asian:

8.8%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare Isaac M Bear Early College High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 98th percentile in 2013 → 92nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (99% vs 60% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 8% of North Carolina high schools

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 6 percentile points since 2013

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Large classes — about 25 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school99%

District avg62%

North Carolina avg60%

53^rd of 662

North Carolina public high schools ?

Top 8%▼ down 7 pts since 2016

From top 1% (2016) to top 8% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High 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	92.0	53 of 662	92.0%	★★★★★
2025	95.2	21 of 641	96.7%	★★★★★
2024	91.3	63 of 640	90.2%	★★★★★
2023	95.1	23 of 626	96.3%	★★★★★
2022	94.1	35 of 621	94.4%	★★★★★
2021	95.2	30 of 594	94.9%	★★★★★
2019	96.3	7 of 514	98.6%	★★★★★
2016	90.2	7 of 507	98.6%	★★★★★
2015	91.6	6 of 531	98.9%	★★★★★
2013	87.8	9 of 505	98.2%	★★★★★
2012	79.7	4 of 502	99.2%	★★★★★
2011	83.7	5 of 506	99.0%	★★★★★
2010	83.2	3 of 499	99.4%	★★★★★
2009	86.9	6 of 490	98.8%	★★★★★
2008	78.5	28 of 477	94.1%	★★★★★
2007	87.6	8 of 453	98.2%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2019	96.4	8 of 369	97.8%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	92.2	36 of 629	94.3%	★★★★★
2025	93.9	26 of 610	95.7%	★★★★★
2024	88.3	74 of 602	87.7%	★★★★☆
2023	94.0	29 of 588	95.1%	★★★★★
2022	89.1	68 of 594	88.6%	★★★★☆
2021	93.2	15 of 475	96.8%	★★★★★
2019	95.3	8 of 475	98.3%	★★★★★

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	75.9	93 of 412	77.4%	★★★★☆
2024	72.2	97 of 403	75.9%	★★★★☆
2022	83.3	6 of 398	98.5%	★★★★★
2021	84.0	8 of 337	97.6%	★★★★★
2019	76.1	45 of 325	86.2%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	91.2	52 of 462	88.7%	★★★★☆
2024	90.9	55 of 454	87.9%	★★★★☆
2022	94.5	33 of 436	92.4%	★★★★★
2021	93.7	11 of 370	97.0%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	94.7	49 of 620	92.1%	★★★★★
2025	97.3	18 of 606	97.0%	★★★★★
2024	90.9	82 of 613	86.6%	★★★★☆
2023	96.1	37 of 597	93.8%	★★★★★
2021	97.3	9 of 432	97.9%	★★★★★
2019	97.7	6 of 446	98.7%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	94.8	10 of 624	98.4%	★★★★★
2025	94.5	37 of 601	93.8%	★★★★★
2024	93.2	58 of 607	90.4%	★★★★★
2022	97.1	11 of 585	98.1%	★★★★★
2021	97.2	6 of 481	98.8%	★★★★★
2019	97.3	5 of 488	99.0%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	93.7	12 of 542	97.8%	★★★★★
2024	88.9	67 of 553	87.9%	★★★★☆
2023	93.1	32 of 537	94.0%	★★★★★
2022	93.5	29 of 534	94.6%	★★★★★
2021	95.4	7 of 439	98.4%	★★★★★
2019	95.8	3 of 444	99.3%	★★★★★

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)

Male (2026)98th percentile+6 vs school

African American (2019)98th percentile~ school

White (2025)98th percentile~ school

Female (2026)94th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)92nd percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)89th percentile-8 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2025)77th percentile-19 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Math I100%+58 vs state

Math III99%+30 vs state

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Schools Near Isaac M Bear Early College High School

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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 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 6th 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
Isaac M Bear Early College High School	Public	9-12	630 MacMillan Avenue	Wilmington	28403	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 350-1387	260	11	24.7	25.8%	162 (62.3%)	10 (3.8%)	47 (18.1%)	23 (8.8%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	16 (6.2%)	92	53^rd of 662 public high schools	92.0%		95.2	21^st of 641 public high schools	96.7%	32	360.2	561.8	100.0	98.6								$9,555	$284	$9,271
John T Hoggard High	Public	9-12	4305 Shipyard Blvd	Wilmington	28403	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 350-2072	2,082	106	19.5	36.2%	1,358 (65.2%)	269 (12.9%)	315 (15.1%)	37 (1.8%)	4 (0.2%)	1 (0.0%)	98 (4.7%)	65.8	213^th of 662 public high schools	67.8%		59.6	229^th of 641 public high schools	64.3%	16	69.2	74.4	56.8	77.5								$8,673	$593	$8,080
Career Readiness Academy at Mosley PLC	Public	9-12	3702 Princess Place Drive	Wilmington	28405	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 251-6161	150	15	10.2	98.0%	46 (30.7%)	53 (35.3%)	40 (26.7%)	2 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (6.0%)	33.9	448^th of 662 public high schools	32.3%		22.9	507^th of 641 public high schools	20.9%	59	54.5	60.9	40.7	40.9								$21,178	$2,660	$18,517
Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington	Public, Charter	6-12	4100 Sunglow Drive	Wilmington	28405	New Hanover County	Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington	Yes	No	No	Yes	(910) 338-5258	362	35	10.2	98.9%	151 (41.7%)	96 (26.5%)	70 (19.3%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	39 (10.8%)	30.8	473^rd of 662 public high schools	28.5%		34.7	415^th of 641 public high schools	35.3%	58	48.1	56.3	46.2	31.4	42.0	56.5	65.6	52.0	63.0	67.2	75.4
New Hanover High	Public	9-12	1307 Market St	Wilmington	28401	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 251-6100	1,437	91	15.7	98.5%	523 (36.4%)	457 (31.8%)	381 (26.5%)	15 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	59 (4.1%)	23.3	533^rd of 662 public high schools	19.5%		29.2	461^st of 641 public high schools	28.1%	72	41.6	47.6	22.4	59.1								$10,692	$741	$9,950
J. C. Roe Academy	Public	6-12	2875 Worth Drive	Wilmington	28412	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 395-4472	14	12	1.2	78.6%	1 (7.1%)	5 (35.7%)	3 (21.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (35.7%)	2.6	644^th of 662 public high schools	2.7%					(n/a)	18.2	20.0	538.5	15.4			7.7			23.1	15.4	$34,575	$1,445	$33,130
Emsley A Laney High	Public	9-12	2700 N College Rd	Wilmington	28405	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 350-2089	2,243	111	20.2	95.3%	1,243 (55.4%)	409 (18.2%)	415 (18.5%)	40 (1.8%)	4 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	132 (5.9%)	43.8	378^th of 662 public high schools	42.9%		42.9	351^st of 641 public high schools	45.2%	27	56.3	70.7	39.0	56.5								$8,690	$533	$8,157
Wilmington Early College High	Public	9-12	4500 Blue Clay Rd	Castle Hayne	28429	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 362-7789	270	13	20.6	98.9%	146 (54.1%)	57 (21.1%)	48 (17.8%)	8 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.1%)	83.4	119^th of 662 public high schools	82.0%		84.2	114^th of 641 public high schools	82.2%	5	69.3	92.1	79.2	100.0								$8,673	$273	$8,400
SEA-Technical	Public	9-12	5301 Sidbury Road	Castle Hayne	28429	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 530-6300	227	17	13.6	98.7%	144 (63.4%)	26 (11.5%)	38 (16.7%)	5 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (6.2%)	91.9	57^th of 662 public high schools	91.4%		89.1	86^th of 641 public high schools	86.6%	29	93.2	95.5	88.9	96.4								$13,361	$253	$13,108
North Brunswick High	Public	9-12	114 Scorpion Drive	Leland	28451	Brunswick County	Brunswick County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 371-2261	1,620	89	18.1	99.8%	809 (49.9%)	314 (19.4%)	352 (21.7%)	3 (0.2%)	13 (0.8%)	4 (0.2%)	125 (7.7%)	49.7	332^nd of 662 public high schools	49.8%		43.8	346^th of 641 public high schools	46.0%	14	62.6	60.0	41.4	75.5								$10,133	$1,075	$9,059

Frequently Asked Questions about Isaac M Bear Early College High School

How many students attend Isaac M Bear Early College High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 260 students attended Isaac M Bear Early College High School.

What district is Isaac M Bear Early College High School in?

New Hanover County Schools

Is Isaac M Bear Early College High School a good school?

Yes. Isaac M Bear Early College High School ranks in the top 8.0% of North Carolina high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Isaac M Bear Early College High School?

Students at Isaac M Bear Early College High School are 62% White, 18% Hispanic, 9% Asian, 6% Two or more races, 4% African American.

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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.