Catherine Truitt North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction | https://x.com/ctruittnc?lang=en
Catherine Truitt North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction | https://x.com/ctruittnc?lang=en
Emsley A. Laney High School registered the highest enrollment among New Hanover County's 50 schools in the 2023-24 school year, welcoming 2,195 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emsley A. Laney High School | - | 2,195 | - |
| John T. Hoggard High School | 2,131 | 2,117 | -0.7% |
| Eugene Ashley High School | 1,909 | 1,861 | -2.5% |
| New Hanover High School | 1,401 | 1,458 | 4.1% |
| Charles P. Murray Middle School | 877 | 897 | 2.3% |
| Roland-Grise Middle School | 849 | 855 | 0.7% |
| Coastal Preparatory Academy | 752 | 853 | 13.4% |
| Holly Shelter Middle School | 855 | 827 | -3.3% |
| Williston Middle School | 670 | 660 | -1.5% |
| Porters Neck Elementary School | 614 | 656 | 6.8% |
| M.C.S. Noble Middle School | 638 | 652 | 2.2% |
| Emma B. Trask Middle School | 675 | 647 | -4.1% |
| Ogden Elementary School | 642 | 609 | -5.1% |
| Edwin A. Anderson Elementary School | 621 | 602 | -3.1% |
| Myrtle Grove Middle School | 655 | 597 | -8.9% |
| Masonboro Elementary School | 582 | 586 | 0.7% |
| Heyward C. Bellamy Elementary School | 555 | 557 | 0.4% |
| Murrayville Elementary School | 547 | 547 | 0% |
| The International School at Gregory | 515 | 506 | -1.7% |
| Castle Hayne Elementary School | 419 | 469 | 11.9% |
| College Park Elementary | 459 | 456 | -0.7% |
| Pine Valley Elementary School | 462 | 450 | -2.6% |
| Dr. Hubert Eaton Sr. Elementary School | 437 | 447 | 2.3% |
| Dr. John Codington Elementary School | 430 | 445 | 3.5% |
| John J. Blair Elementary School | 432 | 437 | 1.2% |
| Carolina Beach Elementary School | 435 | 436 | 0.2% |
| Wrightsboro Elementary School | 470 | 434 | -7.7% |
| Sunset Park Elementary School | 402 | 410 | 2% |
| Holly Tree Elementary School | 426 | 403 | -5.4% |
| Cape Fear Center for Inquiry | 402 | 402 | 0% |
| Mary C. Williams Elementary School | 398 | 389 | -2.3% |
| Bradley Creek Elementary School | 356 | 380 | 6.7% |
| A. H. Snipes Academy of Arts & Design | 394 | 366 | -7.1% |
| Forest Hills Global Elementary School | 346 | 362 | 4.6% |
| Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington | 380 | 330 | -13.2% |
| Winter Park Model Elementary School | 296 | 298 | 0.7% |
| Wrightsville Beach Elementary School | 264 | 276 | 4.5% |
| Edwin A. Alderman Elementary School | 285 | 272 | -4.6% |
| SEA-Technology | 222 | 252 | 13.5% |
| Isaac M. Bear Early College High School | 223 | 251 | 12.6% |
| Wilmington Early College High | 236 | 246 | 4.2% |
| R. Freeman School of Engineering | 295 | 242 | -18% |
| Wilmington School of the Arts | 193 | 220 | 14% |
| Island Montessori Charter School | 210 | 214 | 1.9% |
| D. C. Virgo Preparatory Academy | 200 | 188 | -6% |
| Classical Charter Schools of Wilmington | 117 | 135 | 15.4% |
| Wilmington Preparatory Academy | 89 | 92 | 3.4% |
| Career Readiness Academy at Mosley PLC | 107 | 84 | -21.5% |
| J. C. Roe Center | 43 | 43 | 0% |
| Lake Forest Academy | 45 | 42 | -6.7% |
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