Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 28403

In zip code 28403, Wilmington, North Carolina, families will find five elementary schools serving grades K-5 (with one K-8 campus), including four traditional public schools in New Hanover County Schools and one charter school, Wilmington Preparatory Academy, which operates as its own district. Across these five schools — College Park Elementary, Forest Hills Global Elementary, Winter Park Model Elementary, Edwin A Alderman Elementary, and Wilmington Preparatory Academy — total enrollment is 1,467 students. The four district schools serve overwhelmingly high-poverty populations, with 98.8% to 99.4% of students eligible for free/reduced-price lunch, yet their academic outcomes vary dramatically.

Winter Park Model Elementary is the clear standout: it holds a 3-star state rating, ranks #522 out of 1,492 schools in 2025-2026 (65th percentile), and posts grade 3-5 EOG math proficiency around 72.5%, reading at 56.4%, and 5th-grade science at 73.5% — at or above district and state averages in most subjects. It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate among district schools (19.7%). Forest Hills Global Elementary is improving, climbing from the 5th to the 17th percentile over three years, with strong math gains, but reading remains very low at 27.3% and chronic absenteeism is the highest in the area at 39.3%. Edwin A Alderman Elementary and College Park Elementary rank in the bottom 7% and 4% of schools statewide, respectively, with reading proficiency below 35%.

Wilmington Preparatory Academy stands out for attendance — only 5.5% chronic absenteeism — but its academic performance is very low, ranking #1487 of 1492 in 2025-2026 with math proficiency around 14.4%; its small size (91 students) makes scores volatile. The biggest takeaway for parents is that poverty rates alone do not explain outcomes: four schools have nearly identical free/reduced lunch rates, yet Winter Park Model far outperforms the others. Reading is the most pressing challenge across the zip code, particularly in 3rd grade, where proficiency falls as low as 14.3%. While New Hanover County Schools ranks in the top third of North Carolina districts, this zip code spans the full range — from a top-performing high-poverty school to campuses that remain deeply below state proficiency targets.