Pender County Schools

925 Penderlea Hwy
Burgaw, NC 28425
(District boundaries shown in map)
: 
7/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

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

Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 6 public middle schools serving 2,932 students in Pender County Schools. This district's average middle testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public middle schools in North Carolina.
Public Middle Schools in Pender County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 51% (versus the North Carolina public middle school average of 48%), and reading proficiency score of 50% (versus the 50% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 34% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public middle school average of 57% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
18 Schools
872 Schools
# Students
11,022 Students
496,921 Students
# Teachers
608 Teachers
31,042 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
18:1
18:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Pender County Schools, which is ranked within the top 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 94% has increased from 89% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (NC)
#130 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)

Showing 2013–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓

(21-22)
55%
51%

Showing 2012–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

51%
50%

Showing 2012–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

67%
63%
94%
86.5%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

(2022-23)
26%
28.7%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.54
0.71

Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓

% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
n/a
4%
% Hispanic
18%
21%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 33-year historical data available below ↓

% Black
11%
25%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓

% White
65%
43%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓

% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $12,501 in this school district is less than the state median of $13,318. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,970 is less than the state median of $13,934. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (NC)
Total Revenue
$138 MM
$20,622 MM

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Spending
$132 MM
$21,575 MM

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Revenue / Student
$12,501
$13,318

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Spending / Student
$11,970
$13,934

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Best Pender County Schools Public Middle Schools (2026-27)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Topsail Middle School
(Math: 69% | Reading: 64%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
17445 Us Hwy 17
Hampstead, NC 28443
(910) 270-2612
Gr: 5-8 | 837 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 17%
Rank: #22.
Surf City Middle School
(Math: 64% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
12345-b Literacy Lane
Hampstead, NC 28443
(910) 928-0087
Gr: 6-8 | 752 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 17%
Rank: #33.
Penderlea Elementary School
(Math: 43% | Reading: 41%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
11 Garden Road
Willard, NC 28478
(910) 285-2761
Gr: K-8 | 468 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 50%
Rank: #44.
Cape Fear Middle School
(Math: 33% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
1886 Nc Hwy 133
Rocky Point, NC 28457
(910) 602-3334
Gr: 6-8 | 430 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 54%
Rank: #55.
Burgaw Middle School
(Math: 21% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
500 South Wright Street
Burgaw, NC 28425
(910) 259-0149
Gr: 6-8 | 236 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 58%
Rank: #66.
West Pender Middle School
(Math: 20-24% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
10750 Nc Hwy 53 West
Burgaw, NC 28425
(910) 283-5626
Gr: 6-8 | 209 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 66%

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Quick Facts (26-27)

  • District size: 18 schools
  • Grades: PK-13
  • Enrollment: 11,022 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 18:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 35%
  • : 94% (Top 1% in NC)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 55% (Top 50%)
  • : 51% (Top 50%)
  • : 67% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NC Dept. of Education

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