Summary:
Zip code 28458, centered on Rose Hill, North Carolina, is served by a single public high school: Union High, part of Sampson County Schools, which enrolls 494 students in grades 9–12.
Because Union High is the only high school in this area, the most useful comparisons are against the district and state averages. The school serves an exceptionally high-need population, with 99.19% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Academically, Union High trails both the district and state in every End-of-Course tested subject. In the most recent testing year, only 37.5% of students were proficient in Biology (state: 58.5%), 46.5% in English II (state: 64.6%), 26.4% in Math I (state: 42.1%), and 56.5% in Math III (state: 68.9%). The largest gap is in Biology, while Math I shows the lowest proficiency rate overall. Chronic absenteeism is also elevated, at 26.8% compared with 24.2% statewide — meaning more than one in four students are missing enough school to be considered chronically absent.
There is a bright spot: Union High’s graduation rate is 88.5%, nearly matching the state’s 88.8%, despite the low test scores. This suggests students are earning diplomas at a rate close to state norms even if they are not meeting grade-level academic benchmarks in tested subjects. On a positive note, test scores improved from the prior year in all four subjects, with Biology rising 5.8 points and Math I rising 5.3 points. Still, the school’s statewide rank has slipped from the 25th percentile three years ago to the 18th percentile today, placing it in the bottom fifth of North Carolina high schools. For parents considering this area, Union High offers a close-knit, single-school community, but faces clear challenges around academic proficiency, absenteeism, and improving its standing relative to the rest of the state.
Thank you for your feedback!