Top Rankings
Pender County Schools School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 10%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 15 public elementary schools serving 7,588 students in Pender County Schools School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public elementary schools in North Carolina.
Public Elementary Schools in Pender County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 54% (versus the North Carolina public elementary school average of 50%), and reading proficiency score of 50% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 35% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public elementary school average of 57% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
19 Schools
2,174 Schools
# Students
11,070 Students
1,091,007 Students
# Teachers
685 Teachers
73,903 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
District Rank
Pender County Schools School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 320 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 94% has increased from 89% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#130 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
55%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
51%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
67%
63%
Graduation Rate
94%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.53
0.72
# American Indian Students
37 Students
12,383 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
58 Students
47,310 Students
% Asian Students
n/a
4%
# Hispanic Students
1,888 Students
227,576 Students
% Hispanic Students
17%
21%
# Black Students
1,187 Students
268,051 Students
% Black Students
11%
25%
# White Students
7,261 Students
465,086 Students
% White Students
66%
43%
# Hawaiian Students
10 Students
1,488 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
634 Students
69,126 Students
% of Two or more races Students
6%
6%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
243
23,192
# Students in K Grade:
689
109,971
# Students in 1st Grade:
760
114,331
# Students in 2nd Grade:
855
118,121
# Students in 3rd Grade:
831
111,941
# Students in 4th Grade:
848
114,493
# Students in 5th Grade:
849
115,565
# Students in 6th Grade:
808
116,023
# Students in 7th Grade:
843
113,393
# Students in 8th Grade:
832
115,504
# Students in 9th Grade:
880
11,612
# Students in 10th Grade:
963
10,182
# Students in 11th Grade:
907
8,704
# Students in 12th Grade:
762
7,975
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $9,748 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,187. The school district revenue/student has declined by 13% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $9,413 is less than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has declined by 13% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$108 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$104 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$9,748
$11,187
Spending / Student
$9,413
$11,612
Best Pender County Schools School District Public Elementary Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Topsail Annandale Elementary School
(Math: 80% | Reading: 72%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
17385 Us Hwy 17
Hampstead, NC 28443
(910) 270-1977
Hampstead, NC 28443
(910) 270-1977
Grades: PK-4
| 587 students
Rank: #22.
Surf City Elementary School
(Math: 74% | Reading: 65%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
12345-a Literacy Lane
Holly Ridge, NC 28445
(910) 928-0067
Holly Ridge, NC 28445
(910) 928-0067
Grades: PK-5
| 850 students
Rank: #33.
South Topsail Elementary School
(Math: 74% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
997 Hoover Road
Hampstead, NC 28443
(910) 270-2756
Hampstead, NC 28443
(910) 270-2756
Grades: PK-5
| 610 students
Rank: #44.
Topsail Middle School
(Math: 69% | Reading: 64%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
17445 Us Hwy 17
Hampstead, NC 28443
(910) 270-2612
Hampstead, NC 28443
(910) 270-2612
Grades: 5-8
| 855 students
Rank: #55.
North Topsail Elementary School
(Math: 68% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
1310 Sloop Point Loop Road
Hampstead, NC 28443
(910) 270-0694
Hampstead, NC 28443
(910) 270-0694
Grades: PK-5
| 565 students
Rank: #66.
Surf City Middle School
(Math: 64% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
12345-b Literacy Lane
Hampstead, NC 28443
(910) 928-0087
Hampstead, NC 28443
(910) 928-0087
Grades: 6-8
| 750 students
Rank: #77.
Rocky Point Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
255 Elementary School Road
Rocky Point, NC 28457
(910) 675-2309
Rocky Point, NC 28457
(910) 675-2309
Grades: PK-5
| 402 students
Rank: #88.
Penderlea Elementary School
(Math: 43% | Reading: 41%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
11 Garden Road
Willard, NC 28478
(910) 285-2761
Willard, NC 28478
(910) 285-2761
Grades: K-8
| 484 students
Rank: #99.
C.f. Pope Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
400 North Wright Street
Burgaw, NC 28425
(910) 259-0145
Burgaw, NC 28425
(910) 259-0145
Grades: PK-5
| 538 students
Rank: #1010.
Cape Fear Elementary School
(Math: 38% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
1882 Nc Hwy 133
Rocky Point, NC 28457
(910) 602-3767
Rocky Point, NC 28457
(910) 602-3767
Grades: PK-5
| 543 students
Rank: #1111.
Cape Fear Middle School
(Math: 33% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
1886 Nc Hwy 133
Rocky Point, NC 28457
(910) 602-3334
Rocky Point, NC 28457
(910) 602-3334
Grades: 6-8
| 449 students
Rank: #1212.
Pender Innovative Learning Academy
Alternative School
(Math: 20-24% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
1886 Nc Hwy 133
Rocky Point, NC 28457
(910) 789-6073
Rocky Point, NC 28457
(910) 789-6073
Grades: K-12
| 48 students
Rank: #1313.
Malpass Corner Elementary School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
4992 Malpass Corner Road
Burgaw, NC 28425
(910) 283-5889
Burgaw, NC 28425
(910) 283-5889
Grades: PK-5
| 491 students
Rank: #1414.
Burgaw Middle School
(Math: 21% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
500 South Wright Street
Burgaw, NC 28425
(910) 259-0149
Burgaw, NC 28425
(910) 259-0149
Grades: 6-8
| 228 students
Rank: #1515.
West Pender Middle School
(Math: 20-24% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
10750 Nc Hwy 53 West
Burgaw, NC 28425
(910) 283-5626
Burgaw, NC 28425
(910) 283-5626
Grades: 6-8
| 188 students
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