C
Bladen County Schools
Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 7 towns
Serves Elizabethtown, Bladenboro, White Lake, Clarkton, East Arcadia, Dublin and Tar Heel.
Students
3,928
Schools
12
Spent per student
$16,460
NC $13,045
Students per teacher
17:1
Free or reduced lunch
98%
Debt
$4.3M
fiscal 2024
What stands out about Bladen County Schools
- School Grade C: better than 30% of North Carolina districts
- Math proficiency 22 pts below the state
- Reading / language arts 16 pts below the state
- Spends 26% more per student than the NC average
- 17 students per teacher
- Debt of $4.3M, about $1,098 per student
Where would my kid go?
The school path for Chadbourn.
PK–5Chadbourn ElementaryColumbus County Schools
6–125 schoolsColumbus County Schools
124 high schoolsColumbus County Schools
Test scores vs. NC
2020–21Math proficiency20%
State average 41.9%
Reading / language arts31%
State average 47.2%
Graduation rate (4-year)92%
State average 87.7%
Where the money goes
fiscal 2024$16,460 per student · 26% above NC
Spending
Classroom instruction 56%Support & administration 37%Other 7%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 13%State 64%Federal 24%
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.
Enrollment over time
3,843’20
3,795’21
3,800’22
3,843’23
3,928’24
About steady.
Students
Black 34%White 33%Hispanic 24%Two or more races 7%American Indian/Alaska Native 2%Asian <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%
Schools in the district
12 public schools.
Elizabethtown Primary
C−483 students13:1
Tar Heel School
D449 students17:1
Bladenboro Primary
C−448 students16:1
Dublin Primary
C234 students14:1
Bladen Lakes Primary
C166 students19:1
East Arcadia Elementary
D−68 students9:1
Elizabethtown Middle
D−305 students15:1
Bladenboro Middle
D254 students19:1
Clarkton School of Discovery
C147 students12:1
West Bladen High
B−720 students23:1
East Bladen High
B−525 students19:1
Bladen Early College
D129 students61:1
Towns served
Nearby districts
Compare spending and schools next door.
District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES directory and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Neighbor ratings are opinions.