Is Harkers Island Elementary a good school?

Harkers Island Elementary ranks 407 th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Harkers Island Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 117 students attended Harkers Island Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Harkers Island Elementary?

Students at Harkers Island Elementary are 91% White, 5% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Harkers Island Elementary attend?

Students who attend Harkers Island Elementary usually go on to attend: High : East Carteret High

Harkers Island Elementary

Summary:

Harkers Island Elementary is a public elementary school serving 117 students in grades K-5 in the small coastal community of Harkers Island, North Carolina. Despite having a predominantly white student body and over 96% of students coming from low-income families, the school consistently outperforms the Carteret County Public Schools district and the state of North Carolina in academic proficiency across various subjects and grade levels.

In the 2023-2024 school year, 75% of 3rd graders at Harkers Island Elementary were proficient or better in mathematics, compared to 73% for the district and 62.7% for the state. The school's small size and low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 10.6 to 12.4 students per teacher, appear to be key factors in its academic success. While Harkers Island Elementary's statewide ranking has declined over the years, from a high of 114 out of 1,473 schools in 2018-2019 to 407 out of 1,505 schools in 2023-2024, it still ranks in the top 25% of North Carolina elementary schools for low-income students.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Atlantic Elementary, which also demonstrates strong academic performance, Harkers Island Elementary generally outperforms in academic proficiency, particularly in mathematics. However, the school's relatively small size and the growth of other high-performing schools in the state may present challenges in maintaining its competitive edge in the future.

Detail:

Public K-5

1163 Island Road
Harkers Island, NC 28531-9669

(252) 728-3755

District: Carteret County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
407^th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,268

Students who attend Harkers Island Elementary usually attend:

High:

East Carteret High

Student/teacher ratio: 12.4

Number of students: 117

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.5%

Two or more races:

5.1%

Hispanic:

3.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 97.4%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Harkers Island Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Harkers Island Elementary ranks better than 73% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 5^th among 8 ranked elementary schools in the Carteret County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.8. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (91.5%), two or more races (5.1%), Hispanic (3.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 97.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Harkers Island Elementary is 12.4. 5 elementary schools in the Carteret County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Harkers Island Elementary employs 9.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Harkers Island Elementary is $13,268, which is the 2^nd highest among 8 elementary schools in the Carteret County Public Schools District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Harkers Island Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Harkers Island Elementary 407^th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Harkers Island Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Carteret County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Carteret County Public Schools 35^th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Harkers Island Elementary?

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Rank History for Harkers Island Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Harkers Island Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2006	89.15	55^th	1276	95.7%
2007	79.89	175^th	1293	86.5%
2008	81.55	158^th	1324	88.1%
2009	89.24	61^st	1354	95.5%
2010	87.19	83^rd	1363	93.9%
2011	85.51	120^th	1381	91.3%
2012	83.67	129^th	1388	90.7%
2013	62.51	480^th	1403	65.8%
2014	63.28	491^st	1390	64.7%
2015	82.49	194^th	1440	86.5%
2016	56.26	616^th	1425	56.8%
2017	72.53	363^rd	1429	74.6%
2018	71.64	372^nd	1434	74.1%
2019	88.04	114^th	1473	92.3%
2021	85.35	180^th	1489	87.9%
2022	75.47	320^th	1514	78.9%
2023	73.55	352^nd	1502	76.6%
2024	69.80	407^th	1505	73.0%

See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Harkers Island Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	96.23	9^th	1361	99.3%
2023	75.46	230^th	1437	84.0%
2024	67.13	365^th	1450	74.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Harkers Island Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	62.05	515^th	1458	64.7%
2023	61.87	521^st	1459	64.3%
2024	77.97	241^st	1455	83.4%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Harkers Island Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	65.20	467^th	1413	66.9%
2021	84.78	171^st	1444	88.2%
2022	77.75	268^th	1464	81.7%
2023	69.40	385^th	1461	73.6%
2024	47.17	797^th	1464	45.6%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Harkers Island Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	48.24	661^st	1178	43.9%
2019	77.74	209^th	1183	82.3%
2021	69.75	312^th	1172	73.4%
2022	50.30	611^th	1194	48.8%
2023	47.12	653^rd	1183	44.8%
2024	48.54	634^th	1166	45.6%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Harkers Island Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	200	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	200
1989	209	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	209
1990	206	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	-1	205
1991	186	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	186
1992	176	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1	177
1993	188	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	188
1994	178	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	179
1995	168	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	170
1996	168	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	170
1997	182	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	184
1998	178	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	178
1999	157	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	158
2000	154	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	155
2001	164	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	166
2002	178	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	180
2003	178	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	180
2004	161	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	163
2005	165	2	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	169
2006	169	2	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	172
2007	161	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	162
2008	169	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	170
2009	165	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	165
2010	155	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	155
2011	137	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	139
2012	132	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	133
2013	128	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	128
2014	106	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	107
2015	86	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	87
2016	119	0	0	3	1	0	3	0	126
2017	91	0	0	2	1	0	3	0	97
2018	105	0	1	2	0	0	2	0	110
2019	97	0	0	5	0	0	3	0	105
2020	88	0	0	5	0	1	5	0	99
2021	91	0	0	5	0	0	3	0	99
2022	107	0	0	3	0	0	4	0	114
2023	107	0	0	4	0	0	6	0	117

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Harkers Island Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	200	11.0	18.1	29.5
1989	209	11.0	19.0	37.8
1990	205	11.0	18.6	41.5
1991	186	11.0	16.9	45.7
1992	177	11.0	16.0	20.9
1993	188	14.0	13.4	22.9
1994	179	14.0	12.8	35.8
1995	170	15.0	11.3	33.5
1996	170	15.0	11.3	33.5
1997	184	15.0	12.3	25
1998	178	20.0	8.9	28.7
1999	158	12.0	13.2	44.3
2000	155	15.0	10.3	38.7
2001	166	15.0	11.1	38.6
2002	180	17.0	10.6	42.2
2003	180	17.0	10.6	42.2
2004	163	17.0	9.6	36.2
2005	169	17.0	9.9	37.3
2006	172	17.0	10.1	33.1
2007	162	n/a	n/a	31.5
2008	170	14.4	11.8	35.9
2009	165	14.4	11.5	35.8
2010	155	12.8	12.0	38.7
2011	139	12.8	10.8	48.2
2012	133	12.1	10.9	57.1
2013	128	12.4	10.3	50.8
2014	107	11.4	9.3	56.1
2015	87	10.0	8.7	58.6
2016	126	9.0	14.0	58.7
2017	97	7.1	13.5	54.6
2018	110	6.8	15.9	44.5
2019	105	8.6	12.1	67.6
2020	99	9.3	10.5	97
2021	99	9.2	10.6	97
2022	114	9.4	12.0	97.4
2023	117	9.4	12.4	97.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Harkers Island Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	200	11.0	18.1	29.5
1989	209	11.0	19.0	37.8
1990	205	11.0	18.6	41.5
1991	186	11.0	16.9	45.7
1992	177	11.0	16.0	20.9
1993	188	14.0	13.4	22.9
1994	179	14.0	12.8	35.8
1995	170	15.0	11.3	33.5
1996	170	15.0	11.3	33.5
1997	184	15.0	12.3	25
1998	178	20.0	8.9	28.7
1999	158	12.0	13.2	44.3
2000	155	15.0	10.3	38.7
2001	166	15.0	11.1	38.6
2002	180	17.0	10.6	42.2
2003	180	17.0	10.6	42.2
2004	163	17.0	9.6	36.2
2005	169	17.0	9.9	37.3
2006	172	17.0	10.1	33.1
2007	162	n/a	n/a	31.5
2008	170	14.4	11.8	35.9
2009	165	14.4	11.5	35.8
2010	155	12.8	12.0	38.7
2011	139	12.8	10.8	48.2
2012	133	12.1	10.9	57.1
2013	128	12.4	10.3	50.8
2014	107	11.4	9.3	56.1
2015	87	10.0	8.7	58.6
2016	126	9.0	14.0	58.7
2017	97	7.1	13.5	54.6
2018	110	6.8	15.9	44.5
2019	105	8.6	12.1	67.6
2020	99	9.3	10.5	97
2021	99	9.2	10.6	97
2022	114	9.4	12.0	97.4
2023	117	9.4	12.4	97.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Harkers Island Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,408 (10.6%)	$11,860 (89.4%)	$13,268

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Harkers Island Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 114^th of 1473 Elementary schools	Ranks 352^nd of 1502 Elementary schools	15.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Harkers Island Elementary)	94.1	87.5	6.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Carteret County Public Schools)	73.3	70.4	2.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)	64.3	61.1	3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Harkers Island Elementary)	70.6	68.8	1.8%
3rd Grade Reading (Carteret County Public Schools)	66.5	60	6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)	56.8	48	8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Harkers Island Elementary)	85.7	69.6	16.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Carteret County Public Schools)	69.8	67.8	2%
4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)	57.3	55.3	2%
4th Grade Reading (Harkers Island Elementary)	92.9	60.9	32%
4th Grade Reading (Carteret County Public Schools)	68.1	62.2	5.9%
4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)	57.3	55.3	2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Harkers Island Elementary)	80	52.4	27.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Carteret County Public Schools)	71.2	72.7	1.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)	60.2	55.9	4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Harkers Island Elementary)	73.3	61.9	11.4%
5th Grade Reading (Carteret County Public Schools)	68.2	59.7	8.5%
5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)	54.6	48	6.6%
5th Grade Science (Harkers Island Elementary)	80	71.4	8.6%
5th Grade Science (Carteret County Public Schools)	79.4	77.1	2.3%
5th Grade Science (North Carolina)	72.6	65.3	7.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	105	117	11.4%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	5	4	20%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	97	107	10.3%
Two or More Races	3	6	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	67.6%	97.4%	29.8%

Schools Near Harkers Island Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				EOG Mathematics (2024)						EOG Reading (2024)						EOG Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Harkers Island Elementary	Public	K-5	1163 Island Road	Harkers Island	28531	Carteret County	Carteret County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 728-3755	117	9	12.4	97.4%	107 (91.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (5.1%)	69.8	407^th of 1505 public elementary schools	73.0%		73.6	352^nd of 1502 public elementary schools	76.6%	55	75.0	81.3	63.6				55.0	68.8	45.5				72.7		$13,268	$1,408	$11,860
Down East Middle and Smyrna Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	174 Marshallberg Road	Smyrna	28579	Carteret County	Carteret County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 729-2301	249	24	10.5	98.8%	232 (93.2%)	1 (0.4%)	9 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.8%)	66.5	464^th of 1505 public elementary schools	69.2%		77.5	281^st of 1502 public elementary schools	81.3%	183	92.9	45.5	75.0	43.6	40.8	53.5	85.7	72.7	60.0	56.4	49.0	60.5	85.0	76.7	$11,100	$1,229	$9,871
Tiller School	Public, Charter	K-5	1950 Live Oak Street	Beaufort	28516	Carteret County	Tiller School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(252) 728-1995	195	17	11.4		150 (76.9%)	14 (7.2%)	13 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (9.2%)	73.8	348^th of 1505 public elementary schools	76.9%		60.3	576^th of 1502 public elementary schools	61.7%	228	75.0	51.6	71.0				65.6	67.7	77.4				64.5
Beaufort Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	110 Carraway Drive	Beaufort	28516	Carteret County	Carteret County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 728-3316	378	33	11.5	99.2%	257 (68.0%)	45 (11.9%)	28 (7.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (12.2%)	76.3	305^th of 1505 public elementary schools	79.7%		75.5	313^th of 1502 public elementary schools	79.2%	8	77.8	67.7	76.1				68.5	58.1	53.5				77.5		$11,123	$1,431	$9,692
Morehead Elementary at Camp Glenn	Public	4-5	3316 Arendell Street	Morehead City	28557	Carteret County	Carteret County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 726-1131	285	21	13.9	98.9%	203 (71.2%)	14 (4.9%)	43 (15.1%)	8 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	16 (5.6%)	60.8	569^th of 1505 public elementary schools	62.2%		62.9	534^th of 1502 public elementary schools	64.4%	35		55.2	64.5					54.5	57.0				69.4		$10,861	$1,127	$9,734
Morehead City Primary	Public	PK, KG-3	4409 Country Club Road	Morehead City	28557	Carteret County	Carteret County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 247-2448	545	49	11.1	98.5%	378 (69.4%)	30 (5.5%)	82 (15.0%)	9 (1.7%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (8.1%)								(n/a)	68.2						68.9								$10,820	$1,016	$9,804
Atlantic Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	151 School Drive	Atlantic	28511	Carteret County	Carteret County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 225-3961	88	8	10.7	96.6%	84 (95.5%)	1 (1.1%)	2 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	88.7	132^nd of 1505 public elementary schools	91.2%		81.5	211^th of 1502 public elementary schools	86.0%	79	100.0	81.3	82.4				70.0	68.8	58.8				94.1		$17,133	$1,662	$15,471
Newport Elementary	Public	K-5	219 Chatham Street	Newport	28570	Carteret County	Carteret County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 223-4201	645	55	11.6	99.5%	455 (70.5%)	48 (7.4%)	65 (10.1%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	71 (11.0%)	66.4	466^th of 1505 public elementary schools	69.0%		65.8	488^th of 1502 public elementary schools	67.5%	22	65.1	63.7	59.8				48.6	62.6	54.9				84.4		$10,259	$1,539	$8,720

Harkers Island Elementary

Harkers Island Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Carteret County Public Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Harkers Island Elementary

Rank History for all students at Harkers Island Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Harkers Island Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Harkers Island Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Harkers Island Elementary

Rank History for White students at Harkers Island Elementary

Enrollment information for Harkers Island Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Harkers Island Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Harkers Island Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Harkers Island Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Harkers Island Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Harkers Island Elementary