The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in Science. The lowest is 35% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Oaks Road Academy
Oaks Road Academy is a small, Pre-K through fifth-grade elementary school in New Bern serving a student population with substantial economic need. The school enrolls students from across the city, and the overwhelming majority qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting both the economic character of New Bern's households and the school's role as a Title I anchor in the district. The student body is diverse: roughly equal shares of Black, Hispanic, and white students, with smaller populations of Asian students and students of two or more races.
The most important thing a parent should know is that Oaks Road Academy's state test results are notably below what the state considers proficient. In the most recent year, across grades three through five, the school's English language arts proficiency rate was in the low range, math proficiency was around the mid range, and science proficiency was somewhat higher. These numbers suggest that a substantial majority of students in tested grades have not yet met grade-level proficiency expectations. Because the school serves only early elementary grades, it does not carry a graduation rate or a high school outcome measure; those results will emerge later as cohorts progress.
New Bern itself is a mixed historic and growing coastal city situated between two rivers, with a walkable downtown anchored by Tryon Palace, the Riverwalk, and the public library. The city is expanding outward, particularly toward the future Interstate 42 corridor and residential areas like Carolina Colours and West New Bern. Major employers in the region include the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in nearby Havelock, CarolinaEast Medical Center, and manufacturing firms like BSH and Moen. Housing costs are moderate for the region; median home values are somewhat below state and national benchmarks, and rents are reasonable, making the area relatively affordable for families.
At the district level, the Craven County Board of Education made a significant decision in late 2024 to suspend a major countywide redistricting effort that would have closed or repurposed schools and reassigned hundreds of students. This means existing school assignments and attendance zones will remain stable, which provides clarity for families deciding where to settle. The district has also received state funding to expand Tucker Creek Middle School in Havelock, signaling investment in that part of the county. In addition, the district has implemented state-mandated policies around parental notification, curriculum transparency, and access to instructional materials under North Carolina's Parents' Bill of Rights law, and board members are now elected from partisan single-member districts.
A parent considering Oaks Road Academy should look into the school's instructional strategies and how the building is addressing the proficiency gap, as the test data indicates students are entering the upper elementary grades without solid grade-level foundations. A parent may also want to understand what services are in place for English learners and students with disabilities, as enrollment data for those subgroups was not available. The school's early-grade years are critical for building reading, writing, and math skills that affect everything that follows.
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