Summary:
Zip code 27524, in the Four Oaks area of North Carolina, is served by 3 public schools in Johnston County Public Schools: Four Oaks Elementary (PK-5), Four Oaks Middle (6-8), and South Johnston High (9-12). Together, these schools enroll about 2,883 students and form a complete PK-12 pathway for the community.
The strongest school in the local pipeline is Four Oaks Middle, which ranks in the 62nd percentile statewide with a 3-star rating. Its 8th grade science proficiency of 84.6% exceeds the state average by 16 points, and 8th grade math (71.8%) and reading (64.4%) also top state averages. Four Oaks Elementary ranks in the 57th percentile and has climbed from the 45th percentile in recent years; it also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate locally at 16.3%. Upper-grade work is solid, but 3rd grade reading (44.2%) trails the state by 11 points. South Johnston High is the weakest-ranking school at the 37th percentile, yet posts a 94.2% graduation rate that beats the state's 88.8%, and its Math III score (70.2%) is above the state average. Biology remains a real weakness, at 41.7% versus 58.5% statewide.
The three schools share near-universal poverty, with free/reduced lunch rates above 98%, yet performance varies by grade level. The most concerning local trend is absenteeism: chronic absenteeism jumps from 16.3% at the elementary school to 29.9% at the middle school, well above the district average of 21.8%. That attendance dip may help explain a 7th grade reading slump to 47.0% proficiency, though students recover strongly by 8th grade. A similar pattern appears at the elementary level, where a weak 3rd grade year gives way to above-state performance in grades 4 and 5. The high school has the largest classes, the lowest per-student spending, and the lowest state ranking, but its strong graduation rate shows that local students persist and finish school, even where test scores tell a more complicated story.
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