Schools in Zip Code 27864

ZIP code 27864, covering the Pinetops, NC area, contains exactly three public schools—G W Carver Elementary, South Edgecombe Middle, and SouthWest Edgecombe High—serving about 1,619 students in grades PK–12 within Edgecombe County Public Schools. This is a high-poverty area with near-universal free/reduced-price lunch eligibility ranging from 97.8% to 99.5% at all three schools, and chronic absenteeism runs from 30.2% to 41.0%, well above the state average of 24.2%.

There is a clear divide between schools. G W Carver Elementary is the standout, ranking at the 50th percentile statewide (746 out of 1,492 elementary schools) with a 3-star rating; it posts strong results such as 72.9% proficiency in 4th grade math and 61.4% in 4th grade reading, both above state averages, and it beats its district average in every grade and subject. South Edgecombe Middle is the most improved, rising from a 1-star to a 2-star school and now sitting at the 44th percentile; despite having the ZIP code's highest chronic absenteeism rate at 41.0%, it also outperforms its district in every tested area, including 65.7% proficiency in 6th grade math. By contrast, SouthWest Edgecombe High is the area's weak point, ranking at the 9th percentile with a 0-star rating and falling below its own district average in every End-of-Course subject—most strikingly with only 13.8% proficiency in Math I and 20.9% in Biology.

Context matters: the district is ranked 215 out of 246 North Carolina districts, yet the elementary and middle schools here perform far better than that label suggests. The high school is the reason the area looks troubled, and its challenges are compounded by the lowest per-pupil spending ($9,044) and the largest student–teacher ratio (22:1) of the three schools. Its graduation rate of 86.0% is close to the state's 88.8%, but low test proficiency raises questions about readiness. Overall, families will find strong elementary and middle school options that beat state averages in several subjects despite high poverty, while the high school is the clearest area needing intervention.