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Castle Hayne Elementary

Q: Is Castle Hayne Elementary a good school?

Castle Hayne Elementary ranks 439 th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Q: How many students attend Castle Hayne Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 531 students attended Castle Hayne Elementary.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Castle Hayne Elementary?

Students at Castle Hayne Elementary are 49% White, 23% Hispanic, 19% African American, 7% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Q: What schools do graduates of Castle Hayne Elementary attend?

Students who attend Castle Hayne Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Holly Shelter Middle High : Emsley A Laney High

Public Grades PK, KG-5

439^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 71% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Castle Hayne Elementary is a PK–5 public school in Castle Hayne, NC, that serves 531 students as part of New Hanover County Schools. Nearly all of its students (about 99%) qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, yet the school consistently outperforms expectations. It currently holds a 4-star rating and ranks in the 71st percentile statewide — 439th of 1,492 elementary schools — placing it well above most schools serving similar demographics in the area.

Math and science are the school's clear strengths. In 2025–2026, math proficiency exceeded district and state averages at every grade level; 5th grade math hit 79.8%, about 17 points above the state. 5th grade science reached 78.6% proficiency, also well above state and district averages. Among nearby high-poverty schools, only Murrayville Elementary clearly outperforms Castle Hayne — schools like Cape Fear Elementary, Rocky Point Elementary, and John J Blair Elementary rank far lower. Special education students also earned a 93rd-percentile ranking statewide, and chronic absenteeism has fallen from roughly 29% in 2020–2021 to 17.7% in 2024–2025 — below the district average of 23.8%.

Reading is the main area needing attention. 3rd and 4th grade reading proficiency lagged the district slightly in 2025–2026, and 3rd grade reading dipped sharply to 43% in 2024–2025 before recovering to 56.5%. English Language Learner (ELL) students rank in the 12th percentile statewide, a significant gap versus the school's overall performance. Given its per-pupil spending of about $10,690 and a 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio, Castle Hayne's success stems less from extra resources than from school-level practices and student engagement. Overall, Castle Hayne is a high-poverty school delivering strong, above-expectation results, with particular strengths in math, science, and special education support.

531

Students ?

14.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

99.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3925 Roger Haynes Drive
Castle Hayne, NC 28429

(910) 602-4970

District: New Hanover County Schools

Students who attend Castle Hayne Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Holly Shelter Middle
High:	Emsley A Laney High

Racial breakdown:

White:

49.2%

Hispanic:

22.8%

African American:

19.0%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Castle Hayne Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 71st percentile in 2016 → 71st in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (68% vs 61% meeting standards)

✓Above the North Carolina median (71st percentile)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school68%

District avg65%

North Carolina avg61%

439^th of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 29%▼ down 1 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	68.8	439 of 1492	70.6%	★★★★☆
2025	70.0	396 of 1490	73.4%	★★★★☆
2024	72.6	364 of 1505	75.8%	★★★★☆
2023	80.8	220 of 1502	85.4%	★★★★☆
2022	68.1	436 of 1514	71.2%	★★★★☆
2021	63.6	509 of 1489	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.9	733 of 1473	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	57.2	622 of 1434	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2017	66.7	463 of 1429	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	69.2	412 of 1425	71.1%	★★★★☆
2015	66.6	467 of 1440	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2014	68.4	420 of 1390	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2013	69.7	365 of 1403	74.0%	★★★★☆
2012	36.9	989 of 1388	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	35.2	988 of 1381	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	64.2	248 of 903	72.5%	★★★★☆
2025	32.8	665 of 918	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	70.0	189 of 924	79.5%	★★★★☆
2023	81.2	96 of 933	89.7%	★★★★☆
2022	75.1	136 of 927	85.3%	★★★★☆
2021	69.4	153 of 896	82.9%	★★★★☆
2019	32.3	698 of 949	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	52.9	405 of 927	56.3%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	63.9	136 of 634	78.5%	★★★★☆
2021	64.8	134 of 646	79.3%	★★★★☆
2019	42.5	486 of 878	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	28.8	705 of 897	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	21.2	459 of 519	11.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	55.3	142 of 421	66.3%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	69.7	372 of 1447	74.3%	★★★★☆
2025	63.6	478 of 1451	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.3	362 of 1455	75.1%	★★★★☆
2023	75.2	292 of 1459	80.0%	★★★★☆
2022	65.4	454 of 1458	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	65.0	435 of 1440	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	49.0	759 of 1424	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	51.7	714 of 1405	49.2%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	43.1	631 of 743	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	70.8	28 of 710	96.1%	★★★★★
2024	70.5	37 of 669	94.5%	★★★★★
2023	68.5	35 of 582	94.0%	★★★★★
2021	77.0	22 of 494	95.5%	★★★★★
2019	58.8	309 of 612	49.5%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	44.6	563 of 981	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2025	54.0	416 of 961	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.4	297 of 951	68.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	68.3	204 of 915	77.7%	★★★★☆
2022	67.4	205 of 893	77.0%	★★★★☆
2021	51.7	356 of 843	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	56.4	343 of 865	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	58.1	306 of 851	64.0%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	70.0	308 of 1434	78.5%	★★★★☆
2025	72.1	279 of 1437	80.6%	★★★★☆
2024	81.3	140 of 1450	90.3%	★★★★★
2023	90.8	43 of 1437	97.0%	★★★★★
2022	64.6	363 of 1366	73.4%	★★★★☆
2021	74.9	200 of 1329	85.0%	★★★★☆
2019	60.6	476 of 1361	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	57.1	552 of 1332	58.6%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	64.4	501 of 1451	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	72.3	342 of 1450	76.4%	★★★★☆
2024	70.5	383 of 1464	73.8%	★★★★☆
2023	82.2	197 of 1461	86.5%	★★★★☆
2022	68.0	416 of 1464	71.6%	★★★★☆
2021	59.8	555 of 1444	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	54.4	667 of 1430	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.9	527 of 1413	62.7%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	81.8	61 of 815	92.5%	★★★★★
2025	62.8	197 of 821	76.0%	★★★★☆
2024	47.4	359 of 801	55.2%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	74.9	257 of 1146	77.6%	★★★★☆
2025	76.5	233 of 1172	80.1%	★★★★☆
2024	69.8	328 of 1166	71.9%	★★★★☆
2023	76.2	232 of 1183	80.4%	★★★★☆
2022	58.6	475 of 1194	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	53.4	526 of 1172	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	45.9	681 of 1183	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	52.1	607 of 1178	48.5%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Special Education (2026)93rd percentile+22 vs school

Disabled (2022)79th percentile+7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)79th percentile+8 vs school

White (2026)78th percentile+7 vs school

Female (2026)74th percentile+4 vs school

African American (2026)73rd percentile~ school

Male (2026)65th percentile-5 vs school

Hispanic (2026)43rd percentile-28 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)15th percentile-56 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)12th percentile-59 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science79%+11 vs state

Mathematics74%+11 vs state

Reading58%~ state avg

5.0

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Schools Near Castle Hayne 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
Castle Hayne Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3925 Roger Haynes Drive	Castle Hayne	28429	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 602-4970	531	37	14.5	99.4%	261 (49.2%)	101 (19.0%)	121 (22.8%)	6 (1.1%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (7.0%)	68.8	439^th of 1492 public elementary schools	70.6%		70	396^th of 1490 public elementary schools	73.4%	43	70.6	72.0	79.8				56.5	57.3	60.7				78.6		$10,690	$1,150	$9,540
Cape Fear Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1882 NC Hwy 133	Rocky Point	28457	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 602-3767	533	37	14.4	99.4%	287 (53.8%)	46 (8.6%)	164 (30.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.2%)	35.5	991^st of 1492 public elementary schools	33.6%		30.2	1088^th of 1490 public elementary schools	27.0%	97	50.6	53.8	59.0				37.0	46.2	40.2				73.5		$10,210	$1,054	$9,156
Murrayville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	225 Mabee Way	Wilmington	28411	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 790-5067	573	40	14.2	99.5%	297 (51.8%)	79 (13.8%)	129 (22.5%)	27 (4.7%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	36 (6.3%)	76.7	287^th of 1492 public elementary schools	80.8%		66.6	454^th of 1490 public elementary schools	69.5%	167	81.3	71.1	78.4				66.7	61.1	64.9				78.4		$9,901	$832	$9,069
Wrightsboro Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2716 Castle Hayne Rd	Wilmington	28401	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 815-6909	502	34	14.8	98.4%	123 (24.5%)	117 (23.3%)	216 (43.0%)	6 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (7.8%)	17.9	1319^th of 1492 public elementary schools	11.6%		22.6	1227^th of 1490 public elementary schools	17.7%	92	50.0	31.9	44.4				42.0	37.5	38.9				55.6		$11,562	$1,800	$9,762
Rocky Point Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	255 Elementary School Road	Rocky Point	28457	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 675-2309	403	29	13.7	99.3%	145 (36.0%)	55 (13.6%)	189 (46.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.5%)	46.6	793^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	46.8%		62.5	522^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	65.0%	271	52.8	58.1	72.6				41.5	51.6	58.1				66.1		$11,562	$1,485	$10,077
Dr Hubert Eaton Senior Elementary	Public	K-5	6701 Gordon Road	Wilmington	28405	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 397-1544	461	32	14.2	30.4%	342 (74.2%)	31 (6.7%)	39 (8.5%)	13 (2.8%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (7.2%)	91	98^th of 1492 public elementary schools	93.4%		91.7	86^th of 1490 public elementary schools	94.2%	12	87.7	86.8	90.2				70.4	76.5	73.8				91.8		$10,965	$754	$10,211
John J Blair Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6510 Market Street	Wilmington	28405	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 350-2045	451	34	13.1	99.1%	184 (40.8%)	58 (12.9%)	138 (30.6%)	23 (5.1%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (9.8%)	34.6	1017^th of 1492 public elementary schools	31.8%		35.3	995^th of 1490 public elementary schools	33.2%	22	47.7	57.6	60.3				46.2	50.0	39.7				63.2		$10,293	$831	$9,462
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
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
Ogden Elementary	Public	K-5	3637 Middle Sound Rd	Wilmington	28411	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 686-6464	619	39	15.9	17.6%	541 (87.4%)	7 (1.1%)	36 (5.8%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (5.0%)	94.7	47^th of 1492 public elementary schools	96.8%		96.8	22^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	98.5%	25	561.6	92.1	88.2				84.9	83.3	80.0				86.4		$9,099	$487	$8,612

Frequently Asked Questions about Castle Hayne Elementary

What district is Castle Hayne Elementary in?

New Hanover County Schools

What schools do graduates of Castle Hayne Elementary attend?

Students who attend Castle Hayne Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Holly Shelter Middle
High : Emsley A Laney High

How many students attend Castle Hayne Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 531 students attended Castle Hayne Elementary.

Is Castle Hayne Elementary a good school?

Castle Hayne Elementary ranks 439^th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Castle Hayne Elementary?

Students at Castle Hayne Elementary are 49% White, 23% Hispanic, 19% African American, 7% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

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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.