Pender County Schools

Public Regional · 6 towns Grades PK–12 B+School Grade

Public schools for Surf City, Burgaw, St. Helena, Atkinson, Topsail Beach and Watha, and parts of Wallace.

At a glance

11,073Students enrolled

19Schools

6Towns served

$12,360Spent per student

18:1Student–teacher ratio

70%Free / reduced lunch

School path

Where would my kid go?

Surf CityBurgawSt. HelenaAtkinsonTopsail BeachWatha

Grades PK–5

Surf City Elementary857 students · HampsteadThis district

Grades 6–8

Surf City Middle752 students · HampsteadThis district

Grades 9–12

4 high schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades PK–5

C.F. Pope Elementary530 students · BurgawThis district

Grades 6–8

Burgaw Middle236 students · BurgawThis district

Grades 9–12

Pender Early College High215 students · BurgawThis district

Grades PK–8

9 schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 8

6 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 9–12

4 high schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades PK–8

9 schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 8

6 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 9–12

4 high schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades PK–8

9 schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 8

6 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 9–12

4 high schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades PK–8

9 schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 8

6 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 9–12

4 high schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Based on district boundaries from the U.S. Department of Education. Where a town has more than one school at a grade, your street decides; check with the district before you enroll.

Academic performanceDistrict vs NC

Math proficiency49%

State average 41.9%

Reading / language arts50%

State average 47.2%

Graduation rate (4-year)93%

State average 87.7%

EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (tests 2020–21; graduation 2019–20). The tick marks the state average.

Where the money goes

$12,360

per student each year · 5% below the NC average

Spending

Classroom instruction63%

Support & administration33%

Other4%

Paid for by

Local (mostly property tax)22%

State60%

Federal18%

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances (fiscal 2024).

Enrollment · last 5 years

9,560’20

10,332’21

10,941’22

11,075’23

11,073’24

Students

White · 65%7,178

Hispanic · 18%1,982

Black · 11%1,170

Two or more races · 6%630

Asian · 1%57

American Indian/Alaska Native · 0%44

Across the district's schools, as reported to NCES.

Towns served

📍

Surf City4,396 people

📍

Burgaw3,850 people

📍

St. Helena544 people

📍

Atkinson485 people

📍

Topsail Beach406 people

📍

Watha271 people

Also covers small parts of Wallace.

Schools19 in district

Level

All 19 Elementary 9 Middle 5 High 4 Other 1

📚

Surf City ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 857 students · Hampstead

A-Public 📚

South Topsail ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 618 students · Hampstead

A-Public 📚

Topsail Annandale Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–4 · 580 students · Hampstead

APublic 📚

Cape Fear ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 533 students · Rocky Point

C+Public 📚

C.F. Pope ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 530 students · Burgaw

C-Public 📚

North Topsail ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 529 students · Hampstead

APublic 📚

Malpass Corner ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 513 students · Burgaw

C-Public 📚

Penderlea ElementaryElementary · Grades K–8 · 468 students · Willard

CPublic 📚

Rocky Point ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 403 students · Rocky Point

C+Public 📚

Topsail MiddleMiddle · Grades 5–8 · 837 students · Hampstead

APublic 📚

Surf City MiddleMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 752 students · Hampstead

B+Public 📚

Cape Fear MiddleMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 430 students · Rocky Point

CPublic 📚

Burgaw MiddleMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 236 students · Burgaw

C-Public 📚

West Pender MiddleMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 209 students · Burgaw

C-Public 🏫

Topsail HighHigh · Grades 9–12 · 1,945 students · Hampstead

APublic 🏫

Heide Trask HighHigh · Grades 9–12 · 732 students · Rocky Point

B-Public 🏫

Pender HighHigh · Grades 9–12 · 648 students · Burgaw

C+Public 🏫

Pender Early College HighHigh · Grades 9–13 · 215 students · Burgaw

A+Public 📚

Pender Innovative Learning AcademyOther · Grades K–12 · 38 students · Rocky Point

Public

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES). Ratings are from neighbors on TownTapestry.

Nearby districts

🏫

Onslow County SchoolsNorth Topsail Beach · $12,029 per student

District facts from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory and school district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau's school finance survey. Test scores and graduation rates from EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Neighbor ratings reflect opinions, not an official measure of school quality.