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Very Good

#530 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 20% in state

Columbus Career and College Academy

High School · Columbus County Schools · Whiteville, NC

A Columbus County Schools high school where students score 27 points above what's typical for similar communities.

PO Box 151, Whiteville, NC 28472

  • Math 72% vs NC 56% (2025)
  • Reading 77% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • 92.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress5.8Average25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.67 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics9.3Excellent25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency71.9% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency76.8% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+15.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+23.2 pts
Overall Proficiency74% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+27.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile90th
College Readiness9.2Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate92%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment6.1Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio18.6:1
District spending per student$14,006
Chronic Absenteeism16.5%

Students at Columbus Career and College Academy score 74% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 47%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency72%(2025 NC)
School
State
56%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency77%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 22 points since 2019, reaching 74% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
85%
ELA
85%
2010
Math
95%
ELA
95%
2011
Math
95%
ELA
95%
2012
Math
35%
ELA
65%
2013
Math
35%
ELA
65%
2014
Math
37%
ELA
67%
2015
Math
32%
ELA
57%
2016
Math
37%
ELA
67%
2017
Math
3%
ELA
52%
2018
Math
37%
ELA
67%
2019
Math
37%
ELA
67%
2020*
Math
35%
ELA
75%
2021*
Math
35%
ELA
75%
2025
Math
72%
ELA
77%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 48% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 72% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

97.1%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Columbus Career and College Academy sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 3Car-Dependent
  • Bike 31Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High8,530/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Whiteville), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$48,963

Median home value

$141,000

Median rent

$788/mo

College educated

17.9%

Homeownership

70.7%

Poverty rate

16.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28472; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Advanced STEM Courses3of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

0 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

No verified same-level alternatives

The available nearby set has no same-level school with a verified grade span.

Columbus County Schools

Schools in district
12
Rank in district
#2 of 11
District spending per student
$14,006NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
24.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Columbus Career and College Academy is listed in Columbus County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Columbus Career and College Academy

Columbus Career and College Academy is a public high school in Whiteville, NC, part of Columbus County Schools, serving approximately 242 students in grades 9th-UG with a 18.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.8 out of 10 and ranks #530 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 48% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 72% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Columbus Career and College Academy

What grades does Columbus Career and College Academy serve?

Columbus Career and College Academy serves students in grades 9th through UG.

How many students attend Columbus Career and College Academy?

Columbus Career and College Academy has an enrollment of approximately 242 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbus Career and College Academy?

The student-teacher ratio at Columbus Career and College Academy is 18.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Columbus Career and College Academy rank in NC?

Columbus Career and College Academy ranks #530 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Columbus Career and College Academy's MySchoolScout rating?

Columbus Career and College Academy has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.8 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Columbus Career and College Academy?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Columbus Career and College Academy has 48% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 72% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Columbus Career and College Academy a charter school?

No, Columbus Career and College Academy is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Columbus Career and College Academy a Title I school?

No, Columbus Career and College Academy is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Columbus Career and College Academy?

97.1% of students at Columbus Career and College Academy qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
9th – UG
Enrollment
242
Student-Teacher Ratio
18.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
13
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Columbus County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
16.5%
4-Year Graduation
92.0%
Area population (ZIP 28472)
17,833
Area average commute
25.7 min
Area median age
40.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 28472; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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