Schools in Zip Code 27846

Zip code 27846 is a small, rural eastern North Carolina area served by just two very different schools enrolling roughly 357 students total: Jamesville Elementary, a PK–5 school in Martin County Schools, and NERSBA Early College, a grades 9–12 early-college high school that operates as its own single-school district. Notably, there is no middle school or traditional high school within the zip code, meaning local students in grades 6–8 are served by schools outside this area. Both schools share an exceptionally high-poverty profile, with free/reduced-price lunch eligibility above 97%.

Despite that shared challenge, the two schools tell very different stories. Jamesville Elementary experienced a significant decline in 2025–26 after a standout prior year, falling from the 77th percentile to the 49th percentile statewide. Proficiency dropped in every tested grade and subject, with 3rd-grade reading falling 13.3 points and 4th-grade reading falling 12.3 points. The school still generally beats its district averages, but it now sits much closer to — or below — state benchmarks in reading and early math. Chronic absenteeism (27.3%) exceeds the state rate, though it is better than the Martin County district average. By contrast, NERSBA Early College posted strong results, beating the state on every End-of-Course subject. Its Math I proficiency of 87.5% was more than double the state's 42.1%, and its chronic absenteeism rate of 13.1% is roughly half the state average — a striking difference given the similarly high poverty rates at both schools.

Parents comparing these schools should note the contrasts carefully. Jamesville Elementary's supportive district context is average at best — Martin County Schools ranks in the 40th percentile of North Carolina districts — while NERSBA Early College, as its own district, ranks in the 73rd percentile. However, NERSBA's graduation rate of just 69.7% is a serious concern that sharply contrasts with its strong test scores, especially given its small cohort size of 140 students, where year-to-year swings can be magnified. Both schools deserve close attention: one for reversing a recent test-score slide, and the other for translating high achievement into actual graduation.