Summary
Heide Trask High is a traditional public high school in Rocky Point, NC, serving 732 students in grades 9–12 as part of Pender County Schools. The school currently holds a 1-star rating and ranks in the bottom 20% of high schools statewide, with nearly all students (99.6%) qualifying for free/reduced lunch. Despite these challenges, it boasts a bright spot: a 92.0% graduation rate that outpaces the state average of 88.8%.
Academically, however, proficiency rates are a serious concern. In the latest testing year, only 26.8% of students scored proficient in Math I, 39.1% in Biology, and 49.2% in English II—all roughly 15 to 20 percentage points behind state averages. This isn't a sudden drop; the school has slipped from the 39th percentile a decade ago to the 17th–18th percentile today, indicating a steady, systemic decline. Chronic absenteeism, while greatly improved from 47.3% during the pandemic, still affects about 1 in 4 students, and low test scores suggest that improved attendance hasn't yet translated into stronger academic outcomes.
Comparisons to nearby schools highlight just how stark the educational divide can be. Topsail High, only 12 miles away in the same district, has a 23.5% free/reduced lunch rate and ranks in the 75th percentile, with proficiency rates 25–35 points higher in every subject. Yet poverty alone doesn't dictate results: Pender Early College High, serving a similarly high-poverty population (98.6%), ranks in the 97th percentile statewide with near-universal proficiency in core subjects. Meanwhile, Pender High, with virtually identical demographics, ranks even lower than Heide Trask. The school clearly helps students graduate, but with such low proficiency rates, parents should question whether that diploma reflects genuine readiness for college or careers.
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