Edgecombe County Public Schools

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Tarboro, North Carolina - 14 schools

An equity score of 80/100 ranks Edgecombe County Public Schools #19 of 293 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,224 per pupil, Edgecombe County Public Schools ranks #84 of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

5,419
Total Enrollment
14
Schools
$13,224
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Edgecombe County Public Schools operates 14 public schools serving 5,419 students, placing it among the smaller districts in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 combined, 4 high, 4 middle, 1 elementary 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 Edgecombe County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,224 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 13.7% local, 57.1% state, and 29.2% 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 80/100, ranked #19 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 2 of 14 schools offering Advanced Placement (9 AP courses district-wide), a 290.8:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 37.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 61.1% African American, 18.8% White, 14.7% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Edgecombe Early College High, with a diversity index of 68.7/100.

Its largest campus is Southwest Edgecombe High, enrolling 798 students (15% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Phillips Middle, at 118 students, a 7x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Edgecombe County Public Schools school enrollment varies 6.8× across entities

Edgecombe County Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 118 students (lowest) to 798 students (highest), a spread of 680 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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

Edgecombe County Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 94.4% 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 a supermajority of the population — well past the 75% concentration-grant threshold that unlocks extra funding 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.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Edgecombe County Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 291:1 — 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 Edgecombe County Public Schools is typically wider than the Edgecombe County Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Edgecombe County Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 37.3% — 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?

29.2%
Federal
57.1%
State
13.7%
Local

Funding Equity

80
Equity Score
19 / 293
State Rank
45
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 14 schools in Edgecombe County Public Schools.

White 18.8%
Hispanic or Latino 14.7%
African American 61.1%
Multiracial 5.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 52.1/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Edgecombe County Public Schools's schools, below the North Carolina average of 56.1.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Edgecombe Early College High 68.7
  2. 2 South Edgecombe Middle 67.7
  3. 3 G W Carver Elementary 65.5
  4. 4 Southwest Edgecombe High 59.7
  5. 5 G W Bulluck Elementary 57.0

Programs & Resources

2 / 14
Schools with AP
9 AP courses total
290.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
37.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Edgecombe County Public Schools

School Enrollment
Southwest Edgecombe High
798
G W Carver Elementary
550
Martin Millennium Academy
548
G W Bulluck Elementary
535
Tarboro High
496
Stocks Elementary
389
North Edgecombe High
358
W a Pattillo Middle
289
South Edgecombe Middle
271
West Edgecombe Middle
249
Coker-Wimberly Elementary
236
Princeville Elementary
205
Edgecombe Early College High
171
Phillips Middle
118

How Edgecombe County Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The North Carolina districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Kannapolis City Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Columbus County Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Vance County Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Yadkin County Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Stokes County Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Edgecombe 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.

Wake County Schools
159,778 students · 197 schools · $11,859/pupil
Compare vs Edgecombe County Public Schools →
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
144,197 students · 180 schools · $11,853/pupil
Compare vs Edgecombe County Public Schools →
Guilford County Schools
68,894 students · 126 schools · $13,036/pupil
Compare vs Edgecombe County Public Schools →
Cumberland County Schools
49,661 students · 86 schools · $12,412/pupil
Compare vs Edgecombe County Public Schools →

Compare Edgecombe County Public 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 Edgecombe County Public Schools?

Edgecombe County Public Schools has 14 schools, including 4 high, 5 combined, 1 elementary, 4 middle. Total enrollment is 5,419 students.

How much does Edgecombe County Public Schools spend per student?

Edgecombe County Public Schools spends $13,224 per student. The district has an equity score of 80/100, ranking #19 in North Carolina.

What is the demographic composition of Edgecombe County Public Schools?

Edgecombe County Public Schools students are 61.1% African American, 18.8% White, 14.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% Asian, averaged across 14 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Edgecombe County Public Schools?

Edgecombe County Public Schools has an equity score of 80/100, ranking #19 out of 293 districts in North Carolina.