Schools in Zip Code 28539

ZIP code 28539 contains exactly one public school: Sand Ridge Elementary, a K-5 school in Hubert, NC, serving 527 students within Onslow County Schools. Because it is the only school in the area, it stands out by default, but it also performs well on its own merits: it currently ranks 604th out of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools (60th percentile, 3 stars). That ranking is down from the previous year, when the school leapt to the 75th percentile (4 stars) before settling back. With a student-teacher ratio of 13.1 and a 62% free/reduced-price lunch rate, the school’s overall profile is solidly mid-to-upper tier, and it generally outperforms its district, which ranks near the 45th percentile statewide.

Academically, Sand Ridge Elementary shows clear strengths in reading, beating both district and state averages in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade reading in the most recent testing year. Its 3rd-grade math score is exceptional at 82.7% proficiency — about 22 points above the district and 16 points above the state. However, upper-elementary math and science are weaker: 5th-grade math (56.7%) and 5th-grade science (64.4%) both trail state averages. Grade-to-grade comparisons suggest a troubling trend: the cohort that scored 72.5% in 3rd-grade math in 2024–25 fell to 60.8% as 4th graders, while the cohort that scored 72.8% in 4th-grade math dropped to 56.7% as 5th graders. Reading scores for that same 5th-grade class also slipped.

Despite its high poverty rate, Sand Ridge Elementary posts a chronic absenteeism rate of just 18.8% — notably lower than the district’s 22.7% and the state’s 24.2% — suggesting strong attendance and engagement. School rankings have been volatile, swinging from the 59th to the 75th percentile and back to the 60th, but the overall pattern is of a dependable, above-average elementary school. One important practical note for families: since this ZIP code contains no middle or high schools, students must attend secondary schools elsewhere within Onslow County Schools once they finish 5th grade.