SE North Carolina News

There were 14,575 students enrolled in Brunswick County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 13.9% more than the previous year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

West Brunswick High School registered the highest enrollment among Brunswick County's 22 schools in the 2023-24 school year, welcoming 1,460 students.

Despite steady enrollment, North Carolina schools continue to face significant funding challenges. The state's per-student spending remains nearly $5,000 below the national average, limiting resources for teachers, classrooms, and student support programs. In fact, North Carolina ranks 48th out of 50 states in per-student funding (after adjusting for regional costs).

Staffing shortages have also become a growing concern, with teacher turnover rising to 11.5% in the most recent school year. Low salaries and high workloads make it difficult to retain experienced educators, potentially increasing class sizes and affecting learning quality.

School name	Total Enrollment in 2022-23	Total Enrollment in 2023-24	% Change
West Brunswick High School	1,455	1,460	0.3%
North Brunswick High School	1,402	1,446	3.1%
South Brunswick High School	1,124	1,142	1.6%
Classical Charter Schools of Leland	-	942	-
Leland Middle School	780	782	0.3%
Belville Elementary School	722	761	5.4%
Lincoln Elementary School	678	708	4.4%
Town Creek Elementary School	654	698	6.7%
Shallotte Middle School	670	614	-8.4%
Union Elementary School	577	605	4.9%
South Brunswick Middle School	576	589	2.3%
Classical Charter Schools of Southport	-	573	-
Supply Elementary School	544	564	3.7%
Virginia Williamson Elementary School	511	557	9%
Town Creek Middle School	496	522	5.2%
Bolivia Elementary School	497	502	1%
Cedar Grove Middle School	442	464	5%
Waccamaw	431	443	2.8%
Southport Elementary School	407	418	2.7%
Jessie Mae Monroe Elementary School	395	385	-2.5%
Brunswick County Early College	348	336	-3.4%
The COAST	90	64	-28.9%