School district or education agency · NCES 3703310

Craven County Schools

New Bern, NC

District overview See comparisons

Students12,584

Student membership reported by NCES for 2023–24.

Schools26

operational schools · 2023–24

Students12,584

students in linked records

Latest attendance year2022–23

federal comparable series

Latest finance record$11,893

per student

District, state and country

How does this district compare?

State and national figures use the same measure and reporting period. They are weighted by students or staffing whenever the source provides a denominator.

MeasureDistrictNCUnited States

Academic standing2025

43rd percentile45th percentile45th percentile

This district is 2 percentile points lower than the state figure and 2 percentile points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students chronically absent2022–23

26.4%28.7%27.8%

This district is 2.3 percentage points lower than the state figure and 1.4 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Revenue per studentFY 2023

$13,066$13,391$19,509

This district is $325 per student lower than the state figure and $6,443 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Spending per studentFY 2023

$11,893$12,316$15,859

This district is $423 per student lower than the state figure and $3,966 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Capital outlay per studentFY 2023

$1,158$1,359$1,964

This district is $201 per student lower than the state figure and $806 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Equipment spending per studentFY 2023

$153$215$336

This district is $62 per student lower than the state figure and $183 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Special-education spending per studentFY 2023

$1,297$1,306$1,793

This district is $9 per student lower than the state figure and $496 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Salaries per studentFY 2023

$6,700$7,126$8,742

This district is $426 per student lower than the state figure and $2,042 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Benefits per studentFY 2023

$2,797$2,889$3,769

This district is $92 per student lower than the state figure and $972 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Debt outstanding per studentFY 2023

$394$5,278$11,715

This district is $4,884 per student lower than the state figure and $11,321 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Debt retired per studentFY 2023

$204$656$869

This district is $452 per student lower than the state figure and $665 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Students per teacher2023–24

16:115:115:1

This district is 1.0 students per teacher higher than the state figure and 1.0 students per teacher higher than the U.S. figure.

Students per counselor2023–24

323:1340:1376:1

This district is 17 students per counselor lower than the state figure and 53 students per counselor lower than the U.S. figure.

District staff per 1,000 students2023–24

126.8128.4138.9

This district is 1.6 staff per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 12.1 staff per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

Instructional aides per 1,000 students2023–24

15.814.718.5

This district is 1.1 aides per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 2.7 aides per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

School psychologists per 1,000 students2023–24

0.60.50.9

This district is 0.1 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 0.3 psychologists per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

Regular diplomas among completers2023–24

99.3%99.3%99.0%

This district is about the same as the state figure and 0.3 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students learning English2021–22 · reporting schools

4.7%8.7%12.0%

This district is 4.0 percentage points lower than the state figure and 7.3 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · reporting schools

11.9%11.9%14.0%

This district is about the same as the state figure and 2.1 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · reporting schools

0.7%1.9%3.9%

This district is 1.2 percentage points lower than the state figure and 3.2 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Teachers reported as certified2021–22 · reporting schools

99.4%92.5%95.8%

This district is 6.9 percentage points higher than the state figure and 3.6 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment change2021–22 to 2023–24

-0.6%+0.9%+0.5%

This district is 1.5 percentage points lower than the state figure and 1.1 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals2021–22 · valid district records

58.8%50.8%50.6%

This district is 8.0 percentage points higher than the state figure and 8.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students without disabilities2021–22 · matched enrollment

13.1%7.8%4.5%

This district is 5.3 percentage points higher than the state figure and 8.6 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · matched enrollment

20.8%15.6%9.0%

This district is 5.2 percentage points higher than the state figure and 11.8 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · matched enrollment

44.4%13.3%6.7%

This district is 31.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 37.7 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students enrolled in district distance education2021–22 · matched enrollment

25.3%6.9%5.1%

This district is 18.4 percentage points higher than the state figure and 20.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

School-age children in poverty2024 Census estimate

16.1%15.6%14.4%

This district is 0.5 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.7 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment · 2023–24

Who attends this district?

Pre-K174 students

1.4%

Kindergarten–grade 55,557 students

44.2%

Grades 6–82,833 students

22.5%

Grades 9–123,943 students

31.3%

See enrollment for every grade

Pre-Kindergarten174

Kindergarten917

Grade 1981

Grade 2914

Grade 3936

Grade 4919

Grade 5890

Grade 6923

Grade 7923

Grade 8987

Grade 91,198

Grade 101,027

Grade 11924

Grade 12794

Students by race and ethnicity

White5,810 (46.2%)

Black or African American3,134 (24.9%)

Hispanic/Latino1,790 (14.2%)

Two or more races1,220 (9.7%)

Asian560 (4.5%)

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander42 (0.3%)

American Indian or Alaska Native28 (0.2%)

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership file, 2023–24. Suppressed or missing cells are not estimated.

Current staffing · 2023–24

How many staff members support students?

1,596.2All district staff, full-time equivalent

798Teachers, full-time equivalent

39School counselors, full-time equivalent

8School psychologists, full-time equivalent

198.7Instructional aides, full-time equivalent

20Librarians and media specialists, full-time equivalent

56.1School administrators, full-time equivalent

82.8Student support staff, full-time equivalent

See detailed staffing

Pre-K teachers23.8 FTE

Kindergarten teachers56.5 FTE

Elementary teachers480.7 FTE

Secondary teachers233.7 FTE

Ungraded teachers3.4 FTE

Elementary school counselors16.4 FTE

Secondary school counselors19 FTE

Instructional coordinators26 FTE

District administrators20.6 FTE

District administrative support48.2 FTE

School administrative support65.8 FTE

Other support staff232.9 FTE

Final NCES Common Core of Data staff file, 2023–24. These are full-time-equivalent positions, not employee headcounts, vacancies or caseloads.

High-school outcomes · 2023–24

How many students completed school or dropped out?

865Total completers

859Regular diplomas

6Other state-recognized credentials

162Reported dropouts, grades 9–12

Regular diplomas among completers

District99.3%

NC99.3%

United States99.0%

Final NCES Common Core of Data completer and dropout files, 2023–24. The diploma share describes credentials among completers. It is not a cohort graduation rate and should not be read as one.

Learning support · 2021–22 federal snapshot

How many students may need specialized support?

Counts and shares use only schools with a usable value for that measure. The reporting-school denominator prevents missing schools from being counted as zero.

4.7%Students learning English586 students · 26 of 26 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District4.7%

NC8.7%

U.S.12.0%

11.9%Students receiving IDEA special-education services1,485 students · 26 of 26 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District11.9%

NC11.9%

U.S.14.0%

0.7%Students with Section 504 plans53 students · 12 of 26 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District0.7%

NC1.9%

U.S.3.9%

0.5%English learners also receiving IDEA services58 students · 26 of 26 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District0.5%

NC1.3%

U.S.1.7%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Public-use counts are privacy-protected. These figures describe the reporting year, not current enrollment, diagnoses, service quality or unmet need.

Teacher quality and early learning · 2021–22

What did the district report about teachers and preschool?

99.4%Teachers reported as certified

240Children ages 3–5 in district preschool

Teacher certification comparison

District99.4%

NC92.5%

United States95.8%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Certification status is district-reported and may not match current staffing. Preschool counts cover the federal reporting year and are not a measure of available seats.

Community context · 2024

How many school-age children live in poverty?

This Census estimate provides context about families in the district. It does not measure school quality or describe every student enrolled in the district.

15,579children ages 5 to 17

2,512estimated to live in families below the poverty line

16.1%about 1 in 6 school-age children

District16.1%

NC15.6%

United States14.4%

U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. The estimate covers related children ages 5 to 17 in families in poverty and uses 2024–25 district boundaries.

Comparable districts

Districts of a similar size in NC

These are the five closest state peers by enrollment. Open any profile to compare academics, attendance, spending and student support.

Brunswick County SchoolsLeland, NC12,640 students20 schools · View profile →Henderson County SchoolsHendersonville, NC12,768 students23 schools · View profile →Moore County SchoolsAberdeen, NC12,828 students23 schools · View profile →Burke County SchoolsMorganton, NC11,632 students27 schools · View profile →Chapel Hill-Carrboro City SchoolsCarrboro, NC11,563 students21 schools · View profile →

Academic results · 2025

How do results differ among student groups?

Students not economically disadvantaged4,651 assessments

57 out of 100

White students4,649 assessments

54 out of 100

Asian students531 assessments

48 out of 100

Fem5,178 assessments

44 out of 100

Mal5,307 assessments

43 out of 100

Hispanic students1,714 assessments

36 out of 100

Economically disadvantaged students5,833 assessments

33 out of 100

Black students2,516 assessments

28 out of 100

A score of 50 marks the national 2019 midpoint. Higher numbers indicate stronger results on the comparable Stanford research scale. This is not a state proficiency rate.

District makeup

What kinds of schools are in the district?

15Elementary schools

5High schools

1Other schools

5Middle schools

2Suburb setting

8Town setting

9Rural setting

7City setting

School levels, settings and types use the NCES 2021–22 directory matched to the federal civil-rights collection.

District finances

How is the district funded, and how does it spend?

Sources of funds

Where the money comes from

Share of district revenue supplied by each level of government.

26.2%Federal

57.4%State

16.4%Local

Uses of funds

Where the money goes

Annual spending for each enrolled student.

$11,893Total current spending per student

$6,992Instruction per student

$4,197Support services per student

Revenue by source: percentages and dollars

$43.7MFederal revenue26.2% of total revenue

$95.7MState revenue57.4% of total revenue

$27.3MLocal revenue16.4% of total revenue

How operating money was used

$6,992Instructionper student

$4,197Student and instructional supportper student

$1,297Special educationper student

$1,063Building operations and maintenanceper student

$457Student transportationper student

$704Food servicesper student

$220Technologyper student

People costs

$85.5MSalaries$6,700 per student

$35.7MEmployee benefits$2,797 per student

Equipment, buildings and debt

$1.9MEquipmentFY 2023

$14.8MCapital outlay$1,158 per student

$12.8MConstructionincluded in capital outlay

$5MDebt outstanding at year end$394 per student

$0New debt issuedFY 2023

$2.6MDebt principal retiredFY 2023

$151KInterest paid on debtFY 2023

Selected federal program revenue

$4.2MTitle I$326 per student

$3.9MIDEA special education$305 per student

$247KCareer and technical education$19 per student

$7.6MChild nutrition$593 per student

What changed since FY 2022

Operating spending per student

FY 2022$11,737

FY 2023$11,893

Capital spending per student

FY 2022$406

FY 2023$1,158

Debt outstanding per student

FY 2022$602

FY 2023$394

Revenue shares and spending categories answer different questions and should not be added together. Source: NCES F-33 district finance, FY 2023.

Attendance

How has chronic absence changed?

2020–2130.3%

3,829 of 12,648 students

2021–2239%

4,864 of 12,470 students

2022–2326.4%

3,321 of 12,589 students

Specialized support and security · 2021–22

What specialized roles were reported?

28Sworn law-enforcement officer FTE26 reporting schools

0Security staff FTE26 reporting schools

Staffing is reported as full-time equivalents in the 2021–22 CRDC collection.

Learning opportunities

What do district schools offer?

Algebra I6 reporting schools

Calculus6 reporting schools

Biology6 reporting schools

Chemistry6 reporting schools

Physics6 reporting schools

Computer science6 reporting schools

Advanced Placement6 reporting schools

Dual enrollment6 reporting schools

Gifted programs26 reporting schools

International Baccalaureate6 reporting schools

Athletics5 reporting schools

Shares use only schools for which the program was applicable and reported. A districtwide percentage does not guarantee availability at every grade or campus. Source: 2021–22 CRDC.

Safety and discipline

What was reported across district schools?

1,641Out-of-school suspensions26 reporting schoolsSee schools →1,116In-school suspensions26 reporting schoolsSee schools →2Law-enforcement referrals26 reporting schoolsSee schools →0School-related arrests26 reporting schoolsSee schools →

Counts are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Open a measure to see the schools behind the district total.

Technology and safety · 2021–22

What access and incident data is available?

88%Schools reporting Wi-Fi26 reporting schools

100%Schools reporting fiber26 reporting schools

2Student devices reported25 reporting schools

Technology and incident figures are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Device counts describe the reporting year, not current inventory.

Six questions parents ask

What the available data says

Each answer shows its reporting year and opens a deeper comparison. Missing and suppressed results are never shown as zero.

Are students making academic progress?5 years of resultsLatest research estimate: 2025Explore and compare →Are students missing too much school?26.4% chronically absent2022–23 · 12,589 students measuredExplore and compare →Is the district improving?Declined overallCompare the earliest and latest available yearsExplore and compare →Where are student-group gaps largest?8 student groups2025 research estimatesExplore and compare →How much does the district spend?$11,893current spending per studentExplore and compare →Does the district have enough support staff?323:1 counselor ratioStudents per counselor in the 2023–24 federal staffing fileExplore and compare →

Data status

8 of 8 national data layers are matched to this NCES district ID. Identity and school counts use NCES records. Academic estimates use SEDA, attendance uses EDFacts, finance uses NCES F-33, staffing and enrollment use 2023–24 NCES CCD where available, teacher certification, preschool and policy fields use the 2021–22 CRDC, and community poverty context uses Census SAIPE. Every detailed view preserves its reporting year.

See all sources →