Dare County Schools

Nags Head, North Carolina — 11 schools

5,181
Total Enrollment
11
Schools
$14,049
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Dare County Schools operates 11 public schools serving 5,181 students, placing it among the smaller districts in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 other, 3 high, 2 middle, 1 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 4,968 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Dare County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,049 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 36.1% local, 51.5% state, and 12.4% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $85,195 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 50/100, ranked #123 of 293 in North Carolina against a state average of 45 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 11 schools offering Advanced Placement (33 AP courses district-wide), a 327.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 31.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 70.4% White, 20.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% African American across the district's schools.

First Flight High School accounts for 17.6% of all Dare County Schools student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Dare County Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Dare County Schools school enrollment varies 22× across entities

Dare County Schools school enrollment ranges from 39 students (lowest) to 874 students (highest), a spread of 835 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.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Dare County Schools student-counselor ratio is 328:1 — 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 Dare County Schools is typically wider than the Dare County Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Dare County Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 31.8% — 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.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

12.4%
Federal
51.5%
State
36.1%
Local

Funding Equity

50
Equity Score
123 / 293
State Rank
45
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Dare County county, where this district is located.

$1,120
Studio/mo
$1,305
1 BR/mo
$1,430
2 BR/mo
$1,821
3 BR/mo
$1,893
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$85,195
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 11 schools in Dare County Schools.

White 70.4%
Hispanic or Latino 20.9%
African American 1.5%
Asian 0.6%
Multiracial 6.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

3 / 11
Schools with AP
33 AP courses total
327.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
31.8%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Dare County Schools

School Enrollment
First Flight High School
874
Manteo Elementary School
636
First Flight Middle School
604
Manteo High School
528
Kitty Hawk Elementary School
487
Nags Head Elementary School
484
Manteo Middle School
383
Cape Hatteras Secondary School
364
First Flight Elementary School
285
Cape Hatteras Elementary School
284
Dare Learning Academy
39

Nearby Districts in North Carolina

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Wake County Schools
159,778 students · 197 schools · $14,074/pupil
Compare vs Dare County Schools →
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
144,197 students · 180 schools · $15,997/pupil
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Guilford County Schools
68,894 students · 126 schools · $13,788/pupil
Compare vs Dare County Schools →
Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools
52,717 students · 81 schools · $14,195/pupil
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Cumberland County Schools
49,661 students · 86 schools · $12,982/pupil
Compare vs Dare County Schools →

Compare Dare County Schools

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Wake County Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Dare County Schools?

Dare County Schools has 11 schools, including 3 high, 5 other, 2 middle, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 5,181 students.

How much does Dare County Schools spend per student?

Dare County Schools spends $14,049 per student. The district has an equity score of 50/100, ranking #123 in North Carolina.

What is the average teacher salary in Dare County Schools?

The average teacher salary in Dare County Schools is $85,195 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Dare County Schools?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Dare County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Dare County Schools?

Dare County Schools students are 70.4% White, 20.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% African American, 0.6% Asian, averaged across 11 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Dare County Schools?

Dare County Schools has an equity score of 50/100, ranking #123 out of 293 districts in North Carolina. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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