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 2025-26 school year, there are 14 public elementary schools serving 7,540 students in Pender County Schools. 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 have an average math proficiency score of 55% (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
18 Schools
2,171 Schools
# Students
11,022 Students
1,090,440 Students
# Teachers
680 Teachers
73,859 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Pender County Schools, 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)
(21-22)55%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
51%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
67%
63%
Graduation Rate
(21-22)94%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.53
0.72
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
n/a
4%
% Hispanic
17%
21%
% Black
11%
25%
% White
66%
43%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $9,791 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,191. The school district revenue/student has declined by 13% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $9,454 is less than the state median of $11,616. 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
$9,791
$11,191
Spending / Student
$9,454
$11,616
Best Pender County Schools Public Elementary Schools (2025-26)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
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
Gr: PK-4 | 587 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 11%
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
Gr: PK-5 | 850 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 20%
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
Gr: PK-5 | 610 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 23%
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
Gr: 5-8 | 855 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 17%
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
Gr: PK-5 | 565 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 16%
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
Gr: 6-8 | 750 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 17%
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
Gr: PK-5 | 402 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 61%
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
Gr: K-8 | 484 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 48%
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
Gr: PK-5 | 538 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 62%
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
Gr: PK-5 | 543 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 45%
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
Gr: 6-8 | 449 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 54%
Rank: #1212.
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
Gr: PK-5 | 491 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 62%
Rank: #1313.
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
Gr: 6-8 | 228 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 64%
Rank: #1414.
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
Gr: 6-8 | 188 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 69%
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