Summary:
ZIP code 28391 in Stedman, NC is served by two public schools—Stedman Elementary (grades 1–5, 284 students) and Stedman Primary (grades PK–1, 161 students)—both part of Cumberland County Schools, a district that ranks in the 43rd percentile of North Carolina districts and earns 2 out of 5 stars.
The clear academic standout is Stedman Elementary. Despite sitting in a below-average district, this school has ranked at the 80th–90th percentile of North Carolina elementary schools for three straight years, most recently at the 90th percentile with 4 out of 5 stars. Stedman Elementary outperforms both its district and the state in every tested grade and subject, including 83.1% math proficiency for 3rd graders and 83.6% proficiency in 5th-grade science. Stedman Primary, on the other hand, does not appear in state testing data because it only serves grades PK–1, so no direct academic comparison is possible. However, its chronic absenteeism rate of 31.4% in 2024–2025 is well above the state average of 24.2% and also significantly higher than Stedman Elementary’s 22.9%, which is a concern for a school serving such young children.
Several other findings stand out for families. Stedman Elementary has nearly universal economic disadvantage—98.94% of students receive free or reduced-price lunch—yet its academic results look like those of a much more affluent school. The 2025–2026 school year brought particularly large gains, including a +16.6 percentage point jump in 3rd-grade reading and a +14.9 point increase in 5th-grade science. Meanwhile, Stedman Primary spends more per student ($12,763 vs. $11,859) but has a higher student–teacher ratio (14.6 vs. 10.9) and worse attendance, suggesting different challenges between the two campuses even within the same small community. Finally, there are no middle or high schools in 28391, so students must leave Stedman for grades 6–12 after completing elementary school.
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