Below Average
#2272 of 2,648 schools in NC
Pender High
High School · Pender County Schools · Burgaw, NC
A Pender County Schools high school where students score 8 points below what's typical for similar communities.
5380 NC Hwy 53 W, Burgaw, NC 28425
- Math 47% vs NC 56% (2025)
- Reading 29% vs NC 54% (2025)
- 87.0% 4-year graduation
Academics
Full Profile · 4/4 metricsView breakdown
View breakdown
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Students at Pender High score 38% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 46%).
2025 NC proficiency
Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.
Trend
→ SteadyProficiency is down 29 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 38% recently.
Show all 14 years
Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 43% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 42% (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 scoreFree/reduced lunch
99.6%
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 rateThe neighborhood
Where Pender 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 3Car-Dependent
- Bike 26Somewhat Bikeable
- City Safety: High1,644/100K
Powered by
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
Compare nearby
Nearby same-level schools
4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available
| School | Score | Grades | Distance | Enrollment | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penderlea Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition | 5.8private | PK–12 | 5.0 mi | 93 | Compare → |
| Heide Trask HighEnrollment path unverified | 5.6 | 9–12 | Not available | 734 | Compare → |
| Pender Innovative Learning AcademyEnrollment path unverified | 2.9 | K–12 | Not available | 48 | Compare → |
| Topsail HighEnrollment path unverified | 7.0 | 9–12 | Not available | 1,888 | Compare → |
Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.
Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.
Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.
Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.
Pender County Schools
- Schools in district
- 19
- Rank in district
- #15 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 High is listed in Pender County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.
About Pender High
Pender High is a public high school in Burgaw, NC, part of Pender County Schools, serving approximately 672 students in grades 9th-12th with a 19.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 out of 10 and ranks #2,272 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 43% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 42% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Pender High
What grades does Pender High serve?
Pender High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.
How many students attend Pender High?
Pender High has an enrollment of approximately 672 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pender High?
The student-teacher ratio at Pender High is 19.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does Pender High rank in NC?
Pender High ranks #2,272 of 2,648 schools in NC.
What is Pender High's MySchoolScout rating?
Pender High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 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 Pender High?
Based on loaded state assessment records, Pender High has 43% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 42% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).
Is Pender High a charter school?
No, Pender High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.
Is Pender High a Title I school?
No, Pender High is not currently a Title I school.
What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Pender High?
99.6% of students at Pender 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 – 12th
- Enrollment
- 672
- Student-Teacher Ratio
- 19.2:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 35
- Type
- regular
- Setting
- Distant Rural
- County
- Pender County
- Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
- 46.0%
- Phone
- (910) 259-0162
- 4-Year Graduation
- 87.0%
- Area population (ZIP 28425)
- 10,823
- Area average commute
- 29.8 min
- Area median age
- 44.7
Official sources & links
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
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