Top Rankings
Carteret County Public Schools ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 20%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025-26 school year, there are 6 public preschools serving 2,457 students in Carteret County Public Schools. This district's average pre testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 10% of public pre schools in North Carolina.
Public Preschools in Carteret County Public Schools have an average math proficiency score of 68% (versus the North Carolina public pre school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 61% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 21% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public preschool average of 59% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
17 Schools
994 Schools
# Students
8,035 Students
464,055 Students
# Teachers
585 Teachers
33,275 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Carteret County Public Schools, which is ranked within the top 30% 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 84% has decreased from 85% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#64 out of 325 school districts
(Top 20%)
(Top 20%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(21-22)65%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
62%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
77%
63%
Graduation Rate
(21-22)86%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.39
0.72
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
4%
% Hispanic
11%
23%
% Black
5%
25%
% White
77%
41%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $11,769 is higher than the state median of $11,191. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,764 is higher than the state median of $11,616. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$95 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$95 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$11,769
$11,191
Spending / Student
$11,764
$11,616
Best Carteret County Public Schools Public Preschools (2025-26)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
White Oak Elementary School
(Math: 77% | Reading: 65%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
555 Wb Mclean Drive
Swansboro, NC 28584
(252) 393-3990
Swansboro, NC 28584
(252) 393-3990
Gr: PK-5 | 785 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 14%
Rank: #22.
Atlantic Elementary School
(Math: 70-79% | Reading: 60-69%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
151 School Drive
Atlantic, NC 28511
(252) 225-3961
Atlantic, NC 28511
(252) 225-3961
Gr: PK-5 | 91 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 4%
Rank: #33.
Bogue Sound Elementary School
(Math: 70% | Reading: 61%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
3323 Highway 24
Newport, NC 28570
(252) 393-1279
Newport, NC 28570
(252) 393-1279
Gr: PK-5 | 449 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 25%
Rank: #44.
Down East Middle And Smyrna Elementary School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
174 Marshallberg Road
Smyrna, NC 28579
(252) 729-2301
Smyrna, NC 28579
(252) 729-2301
Gr: PK-8 | 248 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 6%
Rank: #55.
Morehead City Primary
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
4409 Country Club Road
Morehead City, NC 28557
(252) 247-2448
Morehead City, NC 28557
(252) 247-2448
Gr: PK-3 | 517 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 31%
Rank: #66.
Beaufort Elementary School
(Math: 64% | Reading: 53%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
110 Carraway Drive
Beaufort, NC 28516
(252) 728-3316
Beaufort, NC 28516
(252) 728-3316
Gr: PK-5 | 367 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 34%
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