Summary:
Zip code 28470, in the coastal region of southeastern North Carolina, contains just one elementary school — Union Elementary in Shallotte, serving grades K-5 with 654 students in the Brunswick County Schools district, so the most meaningful comparisons are to district and state averages rather than other local schools.
Union Elementary is a strong performer that outpaces both its district and North Carolina as a whole in nearly every subject and grade. It currently holds a 4-star rating and ranks 84th percentile (#239 out of 1,492) for 2025-2026, after achieving a 5-star, 95th-percentile ranking in 2023-2024. On the latest EOG tests, combined proficiency is about 74.6% — roughly 13 points above the state average of 61.0% and well ahead of the district's 62.3%. Math is consistently stronger than reading, with 5th-grade math proficiency at 83.6%, and science is the school's clear strength: 87.1% of 5th graders are proficient, about 19 points above the state. Reading remains solid as well, with all grades exceeding state averages.
What makes these results especially notable is the school's demographic profile: 99.54% of students are eligible for free/reduced lunch, yet academic achievement is far above typical levels for high-poverty schools. Chronic absenteeism is just 14.5%, dramatically lower than the district (24.5%) and state (24.2%), which likely supports the strong outcomes. Year-over-year trends show some grade-level variation — 3rd-grade reading improved sharply by 12.5 points, and 5th-grade reading and science both rose, while 4th-grade math dipped from 81.3% to 72.5% — suggesting cohort effects rather than a decline in school quality. Union Elementary remains a stable, resilient, well-above-average school, though its ranking has settled slightly below its former elite top-5% status.
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