Wayne County Public Schools, NC

Original Research by School Decision on Wayne County Public Schools

Wayne County Public Schools is a district spanning multiple towns across eastern North Carolina with an enrollment distributed across a wide grade band, from pre-kindergarten through grade thirteen. The enrollment is spread across a notably large network of schools, including multiple elementary buildings, middle schools, and four traditional high schools alongside specialized schools in engineering and technical arts, plus an early/middle college program and an academy serving grades six through twelve.

The district's student population reflects the region's diversity. Black and Hispanic students each comprise substantial shares of the enrollment, while white students make up roughly a third. Asian students and those identifying as two or more races comprise smaller portions. Free and reduced price lunch eligibility data was not available, limiting visibility into the proportion of families with lower incomes.

In state testing for grades three through eight, Wayne County students show proficiency rates in the mid-range. Math proficiency was above the midpoint, while English language arts proficiency was below. Science proficiency was also above the midpoint, though the science assessment changed this year and cut scores shifted, so direct year-to-year comparison is not possible. Across tested grades, the proficiency picture suggests uneven skill development across subject areas, with particular room for growth in reading and writing.

A district-wide facilities consolidation took effect in August 2024 that reshuffled where students attend school. The Wayne School of Engineering relocated from Goldsboro High's campus to the Wayne Academy building; Goldsboro High students moved into the former Engineering wing; Wayne Middle/High Academy and Edgewood Community Developmental School shifted to Eastern Wayne High; and pre-kindergarten moved to Eastern Wayne Elementary. Publicly reported, this plan was designed to generate meaningful annual operational savings. For families in towns like Goldsboro and the surrounding area, the consolidation means the specific campus where a student attends changed, though the programs themselves remain available.

Housing in the district's towns ranges considerably. The median home value across Wayne County's zips is moderate compared to state and national benchmarks. Four Oaks sits at the higher end of the range, while Mount Olive and Dudley trend toward the lower end. Rental data is sparse in the dataset, available only for Goldsboro. The region's housing remains affordable relative to income, with rent-to-income ratios below one-fifth and mortgage-to-income ratios in a reasonable range given current mortgage rates. Home values have held roughly flat over the past year.

Among the three districts that make up Wayne County, Wayne County Public Schools spends in the upper range on current per-pupil costs. Its chronic absenteeism rate sits slightly above the midpoint compared to neighboring districts in the county. Graduation rate data was not available.

The district operates career and technical schools alongside traditional academic pathways. The School of Engineering and School of Technical Arts provide specialized tracks, as does the early/middle college program, offering students in their later years the chance to earn both high school and some college credit while in high school. These options give families choices about the shape of a secondary education, though a parent may want to look into which campuses and which programs have openings or are accepting new enrollees in a given year, given the recent consolidation.

State testing data encompasses only grades three through eight, so high school academic performance is not measured in the available results. No district-wide graduation rate was reported.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

17,368

Grades

PK–13

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 29%

Black 34%

White 31%

Asian 1%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

35%

53%

Gr 4

48%

62%

Gr 5

36%

49%

Gr 6

37%

57%

Gr 7

43%

53%

Gr 8

45%

62%

Gr 38

40%

56%

Math

Gr 3

55%

74%

Gr 4

50%

65%

Gr 5

40%

60%

Gr 6

43%

65%

Gr 7

42%

60%

Gr 8

46%

67%

Gr 38

46%

65%

Science

Gr 5

41%

60%

Gr 8

53%

70%

Gr 38

47%

66%

Schools in this District

33 schools are officially reported under this district.

Carver Heights Elementary

Dillard Middle

Edgewood Cmty Developmental

Goldsboro High

North Drive Elementary

Brogden Middle

Brogden Primary

Carver Elementary

Charles B Aycock High

Eastern Wayne Elementary

Eastern Wayne High

Eastern Wayne Middle

Fremont STARS Elementary

Grantham Elementary

Greenwood Middle

Meadow Lane Elementary

Spring Creek Elementary

Spring Creek High

Tommy's Road Elementary

Wayne Early / Middle College High

Wayne School of Engineering

Wayne Middle / High Academy

Grantham Middle

Spring Creek Middle

Wayne School of Technical Arts

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

53%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

46%

Grades 3-8

Science

1 grade reported

54%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$183,287

Year-over-year change-0.3%

Range across 13 ZIP codes$127K to $312K

vs. state typical0.54x

vs. national typical0.50x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (13 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
27530	Goldsboro	$181K	+0.3%	19.2%
28365	Mount Olive	$127K	-0.1%	16.0%
27534	Goldsboro	$220K	+1.2%	13.1%
27863	Pikeville	$248K	+2.7%	11.5%
27830		$169K	-4.7%	9.4%
28333	Dudley	$129K	-7.6%	8.3%
28578	Seven Springs	$131K	+0.1%	6.8%
28551	La Grange	$181K	+2.3%	6.5%
27569	Princeton	$280K	+2.5%	3.0%
27883	Stantonsburg	$186K	+1.1%	2.2%
27524	Four Oaks	$312K	+0.9%	1.9%
27542	Kenly	$268K	+2.0%	1.3%
27851	Lucama	$212K	+1.3%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,297/mo

Year-over-year change+3.9%

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
27530	Goldsboro	$1,297	+3.9%	19.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$925/mo

Home price / national median income2.2x

Annual rent / national median income18.6%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$372/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$337,273 (-0.2% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.