The top reported proficiency rate is 39% in Math. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on C.f. Pope Elementary
C.F. Pope Elementary is a public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Burgaw, a small county-seat town in Pender County. The school enrolls a diverse student body with roughly equal representation across White and Black students, along with a significant Hispanic population and a smaller multiracial cohort. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting the economic circumstances of the families the school serves.
The school's state assessment results in the most recent year show proficiency rates below the midpoint across tested grades. In mathematics, roughly two out of five students in grades three through five met or exceeded proficiency standards. In English language arts, the rate was lower, with about one in three students proficient. Science results, measured on a smaller tested population, showed proficiency near the same level as English language arts. These results point to a school where academic intervention and additional support are needed. A parent considering C.F. Pope may want to look into further detail with the school about what specific instructional strategies and support programs are in place for students working below grade level, and what the school's plan is for improvement in these core subjects.
Burgaw itself sits within the Wilmington metropolitan area but retains a small-town character. The town is experiencing rapid residential growth driven by broader regional expansion, with new housing subdivisions under development on the town's edges and builders actively constructing single-family homes. Downtown Burgaw has a historic core with early-20th-century brick buildings around Courthouse Square, and recent years have brought new dining and retail activity, including local brewpub and pizzeria openings. A paved greenway trail system, the Osgood Canal Greenway and Urban Trail, threads through town and connects neighborhoods, parks, and schools. Housing values in the area are moderate relative to national benchmarks, though property tax rates have risen to support a districtwide school bond approved by voters in 2022, and a countywide property revaluation scheduled for 2026 is expected to further increase tax bills for homeowners.
Pender County Schools is undertaking significant instructional changes across all elementary schools. Beginning in 2022-2023, the district adopted a Science of Reading approach for grades pre-K through five, with new literacy curricula and a two-year teacher professional learning commitment now underway. In 2023-2024, the district also adopted new curricula in mathematics, English, and science. These represent fundamental shifts in how children are taught to read and learn in core subjects. At the same time, the district is addressing overcrowding through a large capital project: a new K-8 campus in Hampstead, scheduled to open in fall 2027, will increase capacity substantially in the growth corridor north of Burgaw. The combination of new curricula, ongoing teacher professional development, and expanded facilities represents a district in transition, working to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population while implementing instructional improvements.
C.F. Pope is embedded in an elementary cohort small enough that county-level comparison data are not available; the school's performance stands on its own data. The school population is stable in size and the setting is a walkable town with a civic core. For families moving to the area, the school is part of a district making deliberate pedagogical changes and building new capacity, though current proficiency rates suggest the school is working with a population facing real academic challenges.
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