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Excellent

#217 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 8% in state

Pender Early College High

High School · Pender County Schools · Burgaw, NC

A Pender County Schools high school where students score 30 points above what's typical for similar communities.

100 East Industrial Drive, Burgaw, NC 28425

  • Math 95% vs NC 56% (2025)
  • Reading 98% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • 90%+ 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress9.3Excellent25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change+0.43 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics9.8Excellent25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency94.9% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency98.2% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+38.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+44.6 pts
Overall Proficiency97% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)67% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+29.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile98th
College Readiness9.5Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate90%+
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment4.5Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio21.4:1
District spending per student$11,425
Chronic Absenteeism0.5%

Students at Pender Early College High score 97% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 67%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency95%(2025 NC)
School
State
56%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency98%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 7 points since 2019, reaching 97% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
95%
ELA
95%
2010
Math
95%
ELA
85%
2011
Math
95%
ELA
95%
2012
Math
65%
ELA
85%
2013
Math
55%
ELA
85%
2014
Math
45%
ELA
75%
2015
Math
65%
ELA
95%
2016
Math
65%
ELA
95%
2017
Math
5%
ELA
95%
2018
Math
85%
ELA
95%
2019
Math
85%
ELA
95%
2020*
Math
95%
ELA
95%
2021*
Math
95%
ELA
95%
2025
Math
95%
ELA
98%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 74% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 92% (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

33.7%

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 Pender Early College High 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 24Car-Dependent
  • Bike 34Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,644/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Burgaw), 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

$65,163

Median home value

$206,300

Median rent

$989/mo

College educated

23.2%

Homeownership

78.4%

Poverty rate

13.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28425; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Advanced STEM Courses5of 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 in Pender County Schools

No verified same-level alternatives

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

Pender County Schools

Schools in district
19
Rank in district
#3 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

Pender Early College High is listed in Pender County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Pender Early College High

Pender Early College High is a public high school in Burgaw, NC, part of Pender County Schools, serving approximately 193 students in grades 9th-UG with a 21.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.5 out of 10 and ranks #217 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 74% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 92% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Pender Early College High

What grades does Pender Early College High serve?

Pender Early College High serves students in grades 9th through UG.

How many students attend Pender Early College High?

Pender Early College High has an enrollment of approximately 193 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Pender Early College High?

The student-teacher ratio at Pender Early College High is 21.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Pender Early College High rank in NC?

Pender Early College High ranks #217 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Pender Early College High's MySchoolScout rating?

Pender Early College High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.5 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 Pender Early College High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Pender Early College High has 74% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 92% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Pender Early College High a charter school?

No, Pender Early College High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Pender Early College High a Title I school?

No, Pender Early College High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Pender Early College High?

33.7% of students at Pender Early College High 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
193
Student-Teacher Ratio
21.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
9
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Pender County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
0.5%
4-Year Graduation
90%+
Area population (ZIP 28425)
10,823
Area average commute
29.8 min
Area median age
44.7
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 28425; 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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