Schools in Zip Code 28348

Zip code 28348, in the Hope Mills area of Cumberland County, North Carolina, is home to 10 public schools in the Cumberland County Schools district — five elementary, three middle, and two high schools serving about 8,230 students. The area is largely high-poverty: seven of the ten schools report free/reduced lunch rates above 98%. Yet outcomes vary enormously, from multiple one-star schools to one of the strongest high-poverty elementary schools in the region.

Gray's Creek Elementary is the clear standout at the 83rd percentile statewide with a ★4 rating. Despite a 99.3% free/reduced lunch rate, it beats state averages in every EOG subject — including 3rd-grade math (85.9% vs. 66.4% statewide) and 3rd-grade reading (78.2% vs. 55.6% statewide) — and has the lowest chronic absenteeism in the zip code at just 12.4%. Gallberry Farm Elementary (69th percentile) and Rockfish Elementary (63rd percentile) round out the elementary standouts. Among middle schools, Gray's Creek Middle leads at the 67th percentile, while Hope Mills Middle is a high-poverty success story: with a 97.1% free/reduced lunch rate, it holds a ★3 rating and has climbed from the 41st to the 53rd percentile over two years. Gray's Creek High is the stronger high school, ranking at the 46th percentile with an 89.6% graduation rate, slightly above the state average of 88.8%.

The South View cluster lags behind. South View Middle (20th percentile), Educational V Baldwin Elementary (21st percentile), C Wayne Collier Elementary (29th percentile), and South View High (28th percentile) all hold ★1 ratings, with most proficiency rates below state averages. C Wayne Collier Elementary has declined sharply from the 60th percentile in 2023-24. Chronic absenteeism is severe, especially at the high schools, where nearly half of all students miss significant school time. Math is the most common weakness, particularly Math I at both high schools. The most encouraging takeaway is that poverty is not destiny: Gray's Creek Elementary and Hope Mills Middle demonstrate that schools serving nearly 100% free/reduced-lunch populations can still outperform state averages.