Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28573

ZIP code 28573, which covers the Pollocksville, NC area, contains just one public school, Pollocksville Elementary, serving grades PK through 5 with 120 students in the Jones County Schools district. Because there are no middle or high schools in this ZIP code, this is essentially a single-school profile rather than a district comparison. Pollocksville Elementary is a small, high-poverty school where 97.5% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, yet it stands out as a relative bright spot within a district rated at only 2 stars.

Academically, Pollocksville Elementary has consistently outperformed both its district and the state average in elementary math and reading. In the most recent school year, math proficiency averaged 67.4% across grades 3–5 compared to 63.6% statewide, and reading proficiency reached 64.8% versus 56.2% statewide. The school’s strongest results came from 4th grade, where 83.3% of students were proficient in both math and reading—well above state averages. However, 5th grade science is a persistent weakness, with only about 38–39% proficiency compared to roughly 68% statewide, a nearly 30-point gap. The school’s statewide ranking has slipped from the 70th percentile with 4 stars in 2023-24 to the 52nd percentile with 3 stars in 2025-26, but with roughly 20 students per tested grade, year-to-year swings can be driven by just a few students.

Chronic absenteeism affects 23.3% of students, which is better than both the district (24.8%) and state (24.2%) averages, a positive sign given the school’s very high poverty concentration. The school’s academic resilience is notable: despite serving a population with high economic disadvantage, it posts math and reading scores above state averages. Yet its small size creates volatility across grade levels and cohorts, and the lack of secondary schools in 28573 means families must look outside the ZIP code for middle and high school options. For parents, Pollocksville Elementary offers a strong elementary foundation in reading and math, but science achievement and cohort-to-cohort consistency are important areas to monitor.