Eastern Wayne High

Eastern Wayne High is a traditional public high school in Goldsboro, NC, serving 781 students in grades 9–12 as part of Wayne County Public Schools. After years near the bottom of North Carolina high school rankings, the school—where over 98% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch—has staged a sharp turnaround, climbing from 568th of 626 schools (9th percentile) in 2022–23 to 236th of 662 schools (64th percentile, 3-star rating) in the most recent reporting year.

The academic gains are clear across multiple subjects. Eastern Wayne now exceeds state proficiency rates in Biology (66.5% vs. 58.5%), Math I (60.4% vs. 42.1%), and Math III (88.1% vs. 68.9%), while English II remains the weakest area at 56.9% compared with the state's 64.6%. What truly stands out is how well the school serves students who often need the most support: English Language Learner students rank 6th statewide, special education students 27th, African American students 70th, and Hispanic students 142th out of comparable groups across North Carolina. Nearby Charles B Aycock High ranks just ahead at 231st overall, but Eastern Wayne actually beats it in Math III and ties it in Biology, while clearly outperforming both Spring Creek High and Goldsboro High.

Meaningful challenges do remain. Chronic absenteeism affects 33.6% of students—well above the state's 24.2%—and the 82.6% graduation rate trails the state's 88.8%. Since Eastern Wayne is a broad-access neighborhood high school rather than a selective program like Wayne School of Engineering, its rapid progress is especially noteworthy. Improving attendance and English II proficiency are the clearest targets for continuing this upward trend.