The reported proficiency rate for English language arts is 14%.
Original Research by School Decision on The Coast
The COAST is a small alternative school in Bolivia, North Carolina, serving middle and high school grades within Brunswick County Schools. It is structured as a traditional public school rather than a charter, and sits on Old Ocean Highway in a rural county seat that is itself undergoing rapid residential growth.
The school is very small, with enrollment concentrated heavily in grade nine. The student body is roughly split between white students and students of color, with a substantial share identifying as Black or Hispanic. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a low-income community context. Data on special education enrollment and English learner enrollment were not available.
Academic performance is weak. In English language arts for grades three through eight, the proportion of students scoring at proficiency or above was in a very low range, with only a small number of tested students meeting the standard. In mathematics for the same grade span, proficiency fell to nearly zero, with no students scoring at proficiency or above. State testing results for high school grades are not available; the school's grade configuration skews heavily toward grade nine, and high school state testing focuses on specific end-of-course exams rather than broad grade-band assessments. A parent may want to look into this further with the school directly, asking what high school outcomes and course-pass rates look like.
The COAST is an alternative school, a designation that typically means it serves students who have not thrived in the traditional classroom environment, who have experienced behavioral or attendance challenges, or who are re-engaging after dropping out. Alternative schools often operate with smaller cohorts, more flexible schedules, project-based or individualized learning, and closer staff-to-student ratios than comprehensive schools. The state testing data provided reflects only the lower grades, and performance on those measures is very low; whether the school's approach works better for its actual target population in the upper grades, or what its graduation and re-engagement outcomes are, would require conversation with school leadership. Publicly reported graduation rate data was not available in the record.
Bolivia itself is the county seat, home to the county government complex, Brunswick Community College, and scattered civic anchors, but it is not a walkable town. The community is rural and quiet, with most households owner-occupied. The broader county is in the midst of very large-scale residential development, with multiple master-planned communities in approval or early construction phases, which will reshape schools' enrollment pressure and demographics over the next several years. A significant school bond referendum is on the November 2026 ballot to address these growth pressures with a new elementary and new high school; its outcome will affect class sizes, attendance zones, and local property taxes for the next decade. The district has also adopted a 2024-2029 strategic plan that commits to common core curricula across K-12 and to expanding work-based learning and College and Career Promise pathways, which could broaden options for high school students over time.
Housing costs in the zip code are moderate relative to the national average, though rents are rising slightly and mortgage rates remain elevated. The area sits between Wilmington to the northeast and Myrtle Beach to the southwest, within a regional economy shaped by coastal leisure and growth.
The COAST appears designed to serve a distinct population of students who need an alternative setting. Whether it is meeting that population's needs well requires direct inquiry into the school's outcomes, support structure, and fit for the specific student in question.
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