Summary:
ZIP code 27542 (Kenly, NC) is home to two public schools in Johnston County Public Schools: North Johnston High (grades 9–12, 788 students) and Glendale-Kenly Elementary (grades PK–5, 433 students), with no middle school in the ZIP code. Both schools serve almost entirely low-income families, with 98.22% of high school students and 99.31% of elementary students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and the district overall ranks 98th out of 246 in North Carolina (60th percentile, 3 stars).
Despite similar poverty levels, these schools tell very different stories. Glendale-Kenly Elementary earns 3 stars (55th percentile) and beats district and state averages in 3rd grade reading and math and 5th grade science, including 82.4% proficiency in science versus 67.7% statewide. It also has remarkably low chronic absenteeism at 13.7%, roughly half the statewide rate of 24.2%. North Johnston High, on the other hand, earns 2 stars (43rd percentile). Its strongest results are Math III (74.6% proficient vs. 68.9% statewide) and an 89.0% graduation rate, just above the state's 88.8%. But chronic absenteeism of 30.3% is a major concern, and proficiency in Biology (47.9%), Math I (41.4%), and English II (62.2%) all trail both district and state averages.
Scores at Glendale-Kenly Elementary swing sharply by grade: 5th grade science jumped nearly 29 points in one year and 3rd grade reading rose 18.8 points, but 4th grade reading plummeted 24.2 points. North Johnston High also improved by double digits in Math III and Biology while slipping in Math I. Both schools spend roughly $10,300 to $11,000 per student, though the elementary school has a far better student-teacher ratio (14.4 vs. 19.8). With no middle school in 27542, students leave a 3-star elementary school before arriving at a 2-star high school years later; closing the attendance gap at the high school would likely be the single most impactful step toward improving its outcomes.
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