Summary:
Zip code 28428 is served by exactly one public school: Carolina Beach Elementary, a K-5 elementary school in Carolina Beach, NC, serving 383 students in the New Hanover County Schools district. With no other public schools in the zip code, the natural benchmarks for comparison are district and state averages. The school has a favorable student-teacher ratio of 14.1, and about 33.4% of students receive free/reduced-price lunch — a meaningful share that shows the student body is economically diverse.
This is a genuinely standout school. Carolina Beach Elementary ranks #83 out of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools, placing it in the 94th percentile with a 5-star rating. Its state rank has climbed steadily from #163 in 2023-2024, to #91 in 2024-2025, to #83 in 2025-2026. On EOG tests, it outperforms the district and state in every reported subject and grade level. Math is an exceptional strength, with average 3rd-5th grade proficiency of 86.6% versus 68.6% for the district and 63.6% for the state; 5th grade math reaches an extraordinary 96.1%. Fifth grade science posts 93.5% proficiency versus 72.7% for the district and 67.7% for the state. Reading averages 77.5%, well above the district's 58.9% and the state's 56.2%. Third grade reading is the lowest area at 71.0%, but even that beats the state by 15.4 percentage points.
Attendance is another strength. Chronic absenteeism at the school is just 11.8%, less than half the district rate of 23.8% and the state rate of 24.2%. Consistently high scores across every grade and subject, combined with strong attendance, point to schoolwide instructional quality rather than one exceptional class. The per-student spending figure of $10,071 dates to 2018-2019. Overall, the 94th-percentile ranking, 5-star rating, and top test results in math, science, and reading make Carolina Beach Elementary an exceptionally strong neighborhood school for families in zip code 28428.
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