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New Bern, North Carolina - 26 schools
An equity score of 53/100 ranks Craven County Schools #113 of 293 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $11,737 per pupil, Craven County Schools ranks #153 of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
12,755
Total Enrollment
26
Schools
$11,737
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Craven County Schools operates 26 public schools serving 12,755 students, placing it in the mid-size range in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 10 combined, 6 elementary, 5 high, 5 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage 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 Craven County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,737 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 18.0% local, 59.0% state, and 23.0% 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 53/100, ranked #113 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 26 schools offering Advanced Placement (22 AP courses district-wide), a 348.3:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 37.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 45.6% White, 24.1% African American, 15.4% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Trent Park Elementary, with a diversity index of 78.3/100.
Its largest campus is New Bern High, enrolling 1,637 students (13% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Craven Virtual Academy, at 117 students, a 14x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Craven County Schools school enrollment varies 14× across entities
Craven County Schools school enrollment ranges from 117 students (lowest) to 1,637 students (highest), a spread of 1,520 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Craven County Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 64.9% 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). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. 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.
Craven County Schools student-counselor ratio is 348:1 — 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 Craven County Schools is typically wider than the Craven County Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Craven County Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 37.0% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
Craven County Schools has 26 schools, including 5 high, 5 middle, 10 combined, 6 elementary. Total enrollment is 12,755 students.
How much does Craven County Schools spend per student?
Craven County Schools spends $11,737 per student. The district has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #113 in North Carolina.
What is the demographic composition of Craven County Schools?
Craven County Schools students are 45.6% White, 24.1% African American, 15.4% Hispanic or Latino, 4.5% Asian, averaged across 26 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Craven County Schools?
Craven County Schools has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #113 out of 293 districts in North Carolina.