Summary:
ZIP code 28386 contains exactly one public school — Rex-Rennert Elementary — a pre-kindergarten through grade 5 campus in Shannon, NC, serving 395 students in the Public Schools of Robeson County, with no middle or high schools within the ZIP code itself. That single school is notable for its dramatic academic turnaround, jumping from the 8th percentile statewide in 2023–2024 to the 37th percentile in 2025–2026, a remarkable climb given that its overall proficiency rate rose 17.4 percentage points in one year — far outpacing the district's 7.2-point gain and the state's 3.6-point gain.
Rex-Rennert's improvement was broad-based, touching every grade and subject tested. For example, 5th grade math surged from 37.1% to 62.0% proficient, essentially matching the state average of 62.9%, while 5th grade science jumped from 32.3% to 62.0%. The school now exceeds the district average in five of seven reported EOG categories, and its 4th grade reading rate of 62.5% beats both the district's 42.9% and the state's 57.7%. Still, its overall proficiency average of 53.2% trails the state's 61.0%, leaving room to grow, especially in 3rd grade.
The school serves an exceptionally high-poverty population — 99.24% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch — which makes the recent gains all the more noteworthy. Chronic absenteeism stands at 29.6%, slightly higher than the state's 24.2% but far lower than the district's 42.1%, and it remains a barrier to sustaining progress. Since the school ends at 5th grade, families must leave the ZIP code for middle and high school. The bottom line: Rex-Rennert has transformed from near the bottom of North Carolina elementary rankings into a school approaching state averages in several subjects, and its main challenges ahead are improving 3rd-grade proficiency and reducing absenteeism.
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