Summary:
In ZIP code 28420, there are two public schools serving the area — both part of Brunswick County Schools — with Waccamaw covering grades K–8 and Jessie Mae Monroe Elementary covering grades PK–5, and no standalone middle or high schools exist within the ZIP code.
When comparing the two schools, Waccamaw is the clear academic standout. It ranks in the 66th percentile statewide for 2025–2026, while Jessie Mae Monroe Elementary sits exactly at the 50th percentile. Waccamaw’s greatest strength is mathematics: across grades 3–8, roughly 77% of students are proficient in math, compared to about 60% statewide. Grade-level math scores are particularly impressive, such as 86% proficiency in 3rd grade and 85% in 6th grade. Waccamaw also excels in 8th grade science at 86% proficient. By contrast, Jessie Mae Monroe shows a more mixed picture — its 4th grade reading and 5th grade science are strong, but its 5th grade reading trails the state by 12 points, and its math results swing widely from year to year, suggesting significant cohort-to-cohort variability.
Both schools serve very high-need populations, with over 99% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite that, chronic absenteeism at both schools is lower than the district average of 24.5% and the state average of 24.2% (Waccamaw at 20.8%, Jessie Mae Monroe at 18.2%). Reading remains the biggest area of concern, especially in upper-elementary grades at Jessie Mae Monroe and in lower-elementary grades at Waccamaw, while math and science are clear strengths. Waccamaw effectively serves as the ZIP code’s middle school since it runs through 8th grade. Both schools have slipped slightly in statewide rankings over the past three years, but Waccamaw remains a strong academic outlier, delivering elite-level math outcomes despite nearly universal student poverty.
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