Summary:
ZIP code 28385 (Salemburg, NC) is served by two public schools—Salemburg Elementary (PK–5) and Lakewood High (9–12)—both part of Sampson County Schools, a rural, high-poverty area where there is no standalone middle school within the immediate ZIP. Both schools share a 2-star state rating and enroll almost entirely students who qualify for free/reduced lunch (99.4% at Salemburg, 96.8% at Lakewood). Overall, both sit near the one-third mark statewide, but they show very different patterns of strength and growth.
Salemburg Elementary is the clear story of improvement. From 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, the school posted large gains in nearly every grade and subject, including a staggering 20-point jump in 5th-grade science (44.1% to 64.2%) and double-digit increases in 3rd-grade math, 4th-grade math, and 3rd-grade reading. Still, 3rd-grade reading (36.2%) and 5th-grade reading (37.3%) remain 18–19 points below the state average, making early literacy the school’s biggest challenge. Lakewood High presents a mixed picture: it actually matches or exceeds state proficiency in Math I and Math III, but biology proficiency sits at just 43.4% versus 58.5% statewide, and its graduation rate of 82.3% trails the district and state by about 6–7 points. The high school also saw a dramatic 25-point recovery in Math I, though Math III declined by 8.9 points.
Families should know that chronic absenteeism is a shared concern—31.4% of Salemburg Elementary students and 26.3% at Lakewood High are chronically absent compared to the state rate of 24.2%. The lack of a middle school in the immediate ZIP means students in grades 6–8 likely transition to schools outside the area, creating potential disruptions. Reading proficiency at the elementary level is the clearest priority for intervention, given its strong link to later success. Lakewood High’s relative strength in math and its persistent weaknesses in biology and graduation suggest that better support in science and staying on track to graduate would pay off. Both schools have demonstrated capacity for progress, so targeted efforts around attendance and foundational reading could make a meaningful difference.
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