Purnell Swett High

Purnell Swett High in Pembroke, NC, serves about 1,583 students in grades 9–12 as part of the Public Schools of Robeson County. Nearly all students (99.5%) come from low-income households, and the school's 18.2 student-teacher ratio is on the higher side for the area. Statewide, Purnell Swett ranks in the 28th percentile (478 out of 662 high schools) with a 1-star rating, placing it in the lower tier of nearby traditional high schools but close to peers like Hoke County High, Saint Pauls High, and Fairmont High.

Families will find genuine strengths here. The graduation rate is 89.6% — above both the district (89.2%) and state (88.8%) — and it has improved for three consecutive years. Purnell Swett graduates a higher share of students on time than Fairmont High (84.6%), Red Springs High (83.7%), and Hoke County High (74.8%). English II proficiency (51.6%) nearly matches the district average and outperforms several neighbors, including Scotland High School and Saint Pauls High. Subgroup results are also encouraging in some areas: African American students rank in the 64th percentile statewide, and Native American students earn a 4-star rating.

The biggest concerns families should know about are attendance and early math. A striking 62.6% of students are chronically absent — more than twice the state rate of 24.2% and far above the district's 42.1%. Among nearby schools, Lumberton Senior High is closest at 54.1%, while Saint Pauls High (35.9%), Hoke County High (30.0%), and Scotland High School (34.2%) are much lower. That attendance gap likely helps explain why only 31.4% of students are proficient in Math I — 16.5 points below the district — while English II, Math III (63.1%), and Biology (40.6%) fare better. Purnell Swett is clearly succeeding at getting students to graduate on time, but parents should ask how the school plans to improve attendance and provide early math intervention, since many students may be finishing high school without college-and-career-ready math skills.