Schools in Zip Code 28461

ZIP code 28461, covering the Southport and Boiling Spring Lakes area, is served by three public schools in Brunswick County Schools: Southport Elementary (K–5), South Brunswick Middle (6–8), and South Brunswick High (9–12), together enrolling about 2,152 students.

The three schools are heading in very different directions. South Brunswick High is the clear bright spot: its statewide rank has improved for three straight years, climbing to the 57th percentile, and it now beats state averages in Math I, English II, Biology, and Math III. Its 89.3% graduation rate is also slightly above the state norm. That said, more than a third of its students are chronically absent, a serious concern. At the other end, South Brunswick Middle has fallen from the 61st to the 41st percentile in one year, with 8th grade math proficiency dropping to 35.1% — nearly 18 points below the state. Chronic absenteeism here is also above average. Southport Elementary sits in between, ranked in the 65th percentile, with standout 5th grade results in reading, math, and science, but its 4th grade scores slipped notably year over year.

Across the ZIP code, absenteeism rises with grade level: about 21% at the elementary, 29% at the middle, and 37% at the high school, all versus a state rate of 24%. Free/reduced lunch participation is near 100% at every school. The elementary has the lowest student-teacher ratio (14.7:1), followed by the middle (16.2:1) and high school (17.0:1). For parents, the most urgent takeaway is the middle school's downward trend, particularly in 8th grade math, which could affect high school readiness. Meanwhile, the high school’s steady academic gains suggest students arriving from that same middle school may still find support, but the feeder pattern deserves attention.