Best Public Schools in Zip Code 27837

ZIP code 27837 in Grimesland, North Carolina, contains exactly one public school — G R Whitfield, a PK-8 school with 560 students in Pitt County Schools. As the only school in the area, it is the standout by default, but its educational profile makes it genuinely notable. Despite 99.46% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, G R Whitfield outperforms its district and the state in nearly every tested subject and grade. It has earned 4-star ratings in each of the past three years, ranking 310th out of 1,492 North Carolina schools in 2025-2026 (79th percentile) and 201st the prior year (87th percentile).

On the 2025-2026 state EOG exams, G R Whitfield posted 80.5% proficiency in mathematics, 67.9% in reading, and 78.3% in science — well above Pitt County Schools (62.7%, 55.4%, and 70.7%) and the state of North Carolina (59.9%, 56.0%, and 68.2%). Middle-school math is exceptional: 7th-grade proficiency reached 97.0% versus 56.2% statewide, and 6th-grade math hit 85.4% versus 59.2%. Reading is above state averages in every grade, though with smaller margins; 3rd-grade reading at 56.1% is the lone area of concern, barely edging the state's 55.6%. Chronic absenteeism is just 15.1% — far better than the district (21.7%) and state (24.2%) — and the student-teacher ratio is 15.3 to 1.

Because G R Whitfield is the only public elementary/middle school in the ZIP code, students attend here through 8th grade before continuing to a Pitt County Schools high school outside the 27837 area. Mathematics is the school's clearest strength, while reading — especially at 3rd grade — is the primary area to watch. Sharp year-to-year swings, such as 8th-grade math leaping from 56.9% to 78.2% or 3rd-grade math dropping from 90.9% to 73.7%, are best understood as the result of small cohorts of roughly 50-60 students per grade. Overall, G R Whitfield pairs consistent 4-star state rankings and strong test scores with remarkably low chronic absenteeism, making it an excellent educational asset for a high-poverty community.