Beaufort County Schools

321 Smaw Road
Washington, NC 27889-3937
(District boundaries shown in map)
4/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Beaufort County Schools ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 6 public elementary schools serving 2,754 students in Beaufort County Schools. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in North Carolina.
Public Elementary Schools in Beaufort County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 49% (versus the North Carolina public elementary school average of 50%), and reading proficiency score of 42% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 52% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the North Carolina public elementary school average of 58% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
10 Schools
2,146 Schools
# Students
4,592 Students
1,094,560 Students
# Teachers
263 Teachers
71,669 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
17:1
17:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Beaufort County Schools, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 314 school districts in North Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 78% has decreased from 83% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (NC)
#197 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(21-22)
49%
51%
42%
50%
53%
63%
(21-22)
81%
86%
(2022-23)
25.6%
28.7%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.67
0.72
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
5%
% Hispanic
19%
22%
% Black
28%
24%
% White
46%
42%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $16,464 is higher than the state median of $11,177. The school district revenue/student has grown by 47% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,041 is higher than the state median of $11,601. The school district spending/student has grown by 48% over four school years.
This School District
This State (NC)
Total Revenue
$76 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$74 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$16,464
$11,177
Spending / Student
$16,041
$11,601

Best Beaufort County Schools Public Elementary Schools (2026-27)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Chocowinity Primary
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 65-69%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
606 Gray Road
Chocowinity, NC 27817
(252) 946-3881
Gr: PK-4 | 484 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 50%
Rank: #22.
Bath Elementary School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
110 S King Street
Bath, NC 27808
(252) 923-3251
Gr: K-8 | 511 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 15%
Rank: #33.
Chocowinity Middle School
(Math: 50% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
3831 Us Hwy 17 S
Chocowinity, NC 27817
(252) 946-6191
Gr: 5-8 | 366 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 50%
Rank: #44.
P S Jones Middle School
(Math: 39% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
4105 N Market Street Ext
Washington, NC 27889
(252) 946-0874
Gr: 6-8 | 659 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 71%
Rank: #55.
Northeast Elementary School
(Math: 43% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
21000 Us Hwy 264 East
Pinetown, NC 27865
(252) 943-6545
Gr: PK-8 | 355 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 52%
Rank: #66.
John Small Elementary School
(Math: 40% | Reading: 35%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
4103 North Market Street Ext
Washington, NC 27889
(252) 946-3941
Gr: 4-5 | 379 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 73%

Recent Articles

What Makes an Elementary School Feel Supportive?
What Makes an Elementary School Feel Supportive?
Discover what makes one elementary school more supportive than another, from teacher relationships and family communication to classroom attention, belonging, student services, leadership, routines, and responsive academic support systems.
Second School Tour: Questions Parents Forget to Ask
Second School Tour: Questions Parents Forget to Ask
A second school tour can reveal what families miss initially. Learn which questions to ask about teachers, support, schedules, safety, communication, programs, and everyday student life before enrolling.
Attendance Policies Are Changing: Parent Guide 2026
Attendance Policies Are Changing: Parent Guide 2026
Attendance policies are changing across public schools. Learn what parents should examine about absences, tardiness, interventions, flexibility, communication, and student support before choosing a school for their child today.

Quick Facts (2026-27)

  • District size: 10 schools
  • Grades: PK-13
  • Enrollment: 4,592 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 17:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 54%
  • : 81% (Btm 50% in NC)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 49% (Top 50%)
  • : 42% (Btm 50%)
  • : 53% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NC Dept. of Education

Quick Links