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Beaufort, North Carolina - 18 schools
An equity score of 67/100 ranks Carteret County Public Schools #56 of 293 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $13,086 per pupil, Carteret County Public Schools ranks #87 of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
8,081
Total Enrollment
18
Schools
$13,086
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Carteret County Public Schools operates 18 public schools serving 8,081 students, placing it among the smaller districts in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 7 combined, 4 high, 4 elementary, 3 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Carteret County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,086 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending. See how North Carolina compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 26.2% local, 54.7% state, and 19.2% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 67/100, ranked #56 of 293 in North Carolina against a state average of 45, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
Academic infrastructure includes 4 of 18 schools offering Advanced Placement (32 AP courses district-wide), a 268.6:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 25.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 76.6% White, 9.7% Hispanic or Latino, 5.7% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Newport Middle, with a diversity index of 51.9/100.
Its largest campus is West Carteret High, enrolling 1,095 students (14% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Bridges School, at 11 students, a 100x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Carteret County Public Schools school enrollment varies 100× across entities
Carteret County Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 11 students (lowest) to 1,095 students (highest), a spread of 1,084 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Carteret County Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 83.2% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch
free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.
Carteret County Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 269:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Carteret County Public Schools is typically wider than the Carteret County Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Carteret County Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 25.5% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Carteret County Public Schools is typically wider than the Carteret County Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Comparisons are relative to Carteret County Public Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.
Nearby Districts in North Carolina
Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.
How many schools are in Carteret County Public Schools?
Carteret County Public Schools has 18 schools, including 4 high, 7 combined, 3 middle, 4 elementary. Total enrollment is 8,081 students.
How much does Carteret County Public Schools spend per student?
Carteret County Public Schools spends $13,086 per student. The district has an equity score of 67/100, ranking #56 in North Carolina.
What is the demographic composition of Carteret County Public Schools?
Carteret County Public Schools students are 76.6% White, 9.7% Hispanic or Latino, 5.7% African American, 0.8% Asian, averaged across 18 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Carteret County Public Schools?
Carteret County Public Schools has an equity score of 67/100, ranking #56 out of 293 districts in North Carolina.