Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28540

ZIP code 28540 in Jacksonville, NC is served by 16 schools—10 elementary, 3 middle, 2 high, and 1 alternative/virtual—enrolling roughly 8,879 students. Nearly all belong to Onslow County Schools, a district ranked 136th of 246 in North Carolina; the exception is Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology, its own district ranked near the bottom of the state. Free/reduced-price lunch eligibility is high across the area, ranging from 39% at New Bridge Middle to 95.2% at Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology, with a ZIP-wide median around 61%. Chronic absenteeism averages about 25.8%.

The clearest academic bright spots are New Bridge Middle, Jacksonville High, and Southwest Elementary. New Bridge Middle ranks in the 75th percentile of state middle schools (4 stars), with 8th grade science at 84.2% and 8th grade math at 71.7%, along with the ZIP's lowest free/reduced-price lunch rate at 39%. Jacksonville High is the stronger high school, ranking in the 52nd percentile with a 93.7% graduation rate, English II proficiency of 71.3%, and Math I proficiency of 55.0%. Southwest Elementary lands in the 60th percentile, with 3rd through 5th grade math all above 67%. By contrast, the bottom cluster includes Z.E.C.A. School of Arts and Technology, which ranks in the 5th percentile with 57.9% chronic absenteeism, Southwest High (14th percentile, 16.5% Math I proficiency), and Southwest Middle (20th percentile).

The gap between neighboring schools is striking. Jacksonville High outperforms Southwest High by wide margins—Math I (55.0% vs. 16.5%), English II (71.3% vs. 55.7%), and graduation rate (93.7% vs. 88.1%)—and middle schools are similarly polarized, with New Bridge Middle in the top quarter of the state and Southwest Middle in the bottom fifth. Several schools are trending differently: Clear View Elementary and Clyde Erwin Elementary have improved their rankings over three years, while Summersill Elementary, Parkwood Elementary, and Meadow View Elementary have declined. Chronic absenteeism is concentrated in the lowest-performing schools, and math is a particular weakness in the lower cluster. Overall, ZIP 28540 has a few strong options—notably New Bridge Middle, Jacksonville High, and Southwest Elementary—but most schools fall below the North Carolina median.