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Excellent

#294 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 11% in state

North Topsail Elementary

Elementary School · Pender County Schools · Hampstead, NC

A Pender County Schools elementary school where students score 6 points above what's typical for similar communities.

1310 Sloop Point Loop Road, Hampstead, NC 28443

  • Math 84% vs NC 59% (2025)
  • Reading 68% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.8Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.44 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics8.6Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency84% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency67.3% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+20.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+20.7 pts
Overall Proficiency76% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)70% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+6.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile79th
Resources & Environment6.6Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.1:1
District spending per student$11,425
Chronic Absenteeism17%

Students at North Topsail Elementary score 76% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 70%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency84%(2025 NC)
School
State
59%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency68%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 7 points since 2020, reaching 76% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
91%
ELA
82%
2010
Math
90%
ELA
81%
2011
Math
83%
ELA
75%
2012
Math
49%
ELA
51%
2013
Math
53%
ELA
47%
2014
Math
63%
ELA
53%
2015
Math
64%
ELA
58%
2016
Math
68%
ELA
58%
2017
Math
65%
ELA
59%
2018
Math
62%
ELA
62%
2019
Math
62%
ELA
62%
2020*
Math
70%
ELA
68%
2021*
Math
70%
ELA
68%
2022
Math
67%
ELA
60%
2025
Math
84%
ELA
68%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 72% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 64% (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 36 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

23.7%

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 North Topsail Elementary 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 6Car-Dependent
  • Bike 31Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Elevated745/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

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

Median income

$89,392

Median home value

$356,500

Median rent

$1,372/mo

College educated

39.6%

Homeownership

81.2%

Poverty rate

8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28443; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

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

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Topsail Annandale Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.8PK–42.4 mi587Compare →
South Topsail ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.2PK–54.5 mi610Compare →
Cape Fear ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.3PK–5Not available543Compare →
Rocky Point ElementaryEnrollment path unverified9.2PK–5Not available402Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Pender County Schools

Schools in district
19
Rank in district
#4 of 19
District spending per student
$11,425NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

North Topsail Elementary is listed in Pender County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About North Topsail Elementary

North Topsail Elementary is a public elementary school in Hampstead, NC, part of Pender County Schools, serving approximately 565 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.3 out of 10 and ranks #294 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 72% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 64% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about North Topsail Elementary

What grades does North Topsail Elementary serve?

North Topsail Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend North Topsail Elementary?

North Topsail Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 565 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at North Topsail Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at North Topsail Elementary is 16.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does North Topsail Elementary rank in NC?

North Topsail Elementary ranks #294 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is North Topsail Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

North Topsail Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.3 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 North Topsail Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, North Topsail Elementary has 72% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 64% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is North Topsail Elementary a charter school?

No, North Topsail Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is North Topsail Elementary a Title I school?

No, North Topsail Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for North Topsail Elementary?

23.7% of students at North Topsail Elementary 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
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
565
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
35
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Town
County
Pender County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
17.0%
Area population (ZIP 28443)
27,203
Area average commute
30.6 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 28443; 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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