Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 28522

ZIP code 28522 is served by just one elementary school—Comfort Elementary—a small PK–5 school with 127 students in Jones County Schools. Because there are no other elementary schools in the area, this analysis focuses on how Comfort Elementary compares with its district and the state of North Carolina rather than with neighboring schools. The school is notable for its very small class sizes, with a low student-teacher ratio of 13.8, and for serving a student body where over 97% qualify for free or reduced lunch—yet it still posts several academic results above district and state averages.

Comfort Elementary stands out most for its strong early-grade math and reading performance. In the 2025-2026 school year, 3rd grade math proficiency reached 81.3%, well above the state average of 66.4% and the district's 61.2%, while 4th grade math and reading both hit 75.0%—beating state averages by roughly 14 to 17 points. These results are especially meaningful given the high poverty rate at the school, suggesting that effective instruction is happening in the early grades. However, chronic absenteeism is a concern at 26.2%, which means about 33 of the school's 127 students were chronically absent, slightly higher than the district and state. This can disrupt learning and may partly explain some uneven grade-level outcomes.

The clearest vulnerability is 5th grade science, where only 38.9% of students were proficient in 2025-2026 compared to 67.7% statewide—a gap of nearly 29 points. Science proficiency also declined from 52.9% the previous year, while the district and state improved. A similar drop appeared in 5th grade math and reading, while grades 3 and 4 improved, which likely reflects small cohort differences rather than a schoolwide trend. Comfort Elementary has maintained a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger, ranking in the 58th percentile statewide in 2025-2026, notably better than its district, which sits in the 38th percentile. For parents, this is a small, high-poverty school with genuine early-grade strengths, a specific science gap in 5th grade, and outcomes that may fluctuate as different groups of students move through.