Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28532

The 28532 zip code area of North Carolina is home to 9 schools, including 5 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 2 high schools, all part of the Craven County Board of Education district. While the district is ranked 128 out of 242 in the state, the schools in this area show a wide range of performance, with standouts like W Jesse Gurganus Elementary and Tucker Creek Middle alongside lower-performing schools.

The top-performing schools in the area are W Jesse Gurganus Elementary, which consistently ranks among the top 140 elementary schools in North Carolina, and Tucker Creek Middle, which is in the top 110 middle schools in the state. Both schools have exceptional test scores, with W Jesse Gurganus Elementary achieving 100% proficiency in 3rd-grade math and over 80% in reading and science, and Tucker Creek Middle exceeding state and district averages in math and reading. The standout high school is Early College EAST High, which ranks in the top 108 high schools in North Carolina and has remarkable performance on end-of-course exams.

However, the data also reveals significant disparities in educational opportunities and outcomes within the district. Several schools, such as Havelock Middle and Graham A Barden Elementary, struggle with lower proficiency rates, while others, like Havelock Elementary, have very high rates of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating high levels of economic disadvantage. The data suggests that factors beyond just spending per student, which ranges from $7,531 to $12,745 per student, play a crucial role in shaping the academic performance of these schools.