Johnston County Early College Academy

Summary:

Johnston County Early College Academy is a high-performing public high school serving grades 9-12 in Smithfield, North Carolina, with a student population of 281. This school consistently outshines its peers, ranking among the top high schools in the state and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Johnston County Early College Academy's academic prowess is undeniable, with proficiency rates on end-of-course exams that far exceed the district and state averages. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school achieved proficiency rates of 98.3% in Biology, 98.2% in English II, 100% in Math I, and 97.7% in Math III. This exceptional performance extends across diverse student subgroups, with the school ranking highly for female, male, Hispanic, and White students, as well as for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The school's focus on early college programming, which allows students to earn college credits while in high school, may contribute to its exceptional academic outcomes.

When compared to other high schools in the Johnston County Public Schools district, Johnston County Early College Academy stands out as a true standout. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates were over 30 percentage points higher than the district and state averages in Biology, English II, and Math I. This consistent high performance, coupled with the school's diverse student population and specialized programming, make Johnston County Early College Academy a model for other schools to emulate.

Detail:

Public 9-12

245 College Rd
Smithfield, NC 27577

(919) 464-2314

District: Johnston County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
11^th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $6,903

Student/teacher ratio: 28.1

Number of students: 281

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.2%

Hispanic:

30.2%

African American:

8.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 28.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Johnston County Early College Academy ranks better than 98.3% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks first among 10 ranked high schools in the Johnston County Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 95.93. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (55.2%), Hispanic (30.2%), African American (8.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 28.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Johnston County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Johnston County Early College Academy is 28.1, which is the highest among 10 high schools in the Johnston County Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Johnston County Early College Academy employs 10 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Johnston County Early College Academy is $6,903, which is the lowest among 10 high schools in the Johnston County Public Schools District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Johnston County Early College Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Johnston County Early College Academy 11^th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Johnston County Early College Academy in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Johnston County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Johnston County Public Schools 90^th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Johnston County Early College Academy

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Rank History for all students at Johnston County Early College Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	93.58	43^rd	594	92.8%
2022	95.77	19^th	621	96.9%
2023	95.54	18^th	626	97.1%
2024	95.93	11^th	640	98.3%

See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Johnston County Early College Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	98.88	15^th	544	97.2%
2023	96.88	29^th	597	95.1%
2024	97.14	30^th	613	95.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at Johnston County Early College Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	95.37	14^th	594	97.6%
2023	95.02	14^th	588	97.6%
2024	94.82	19^th	602	96.8%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Johnston County Early College Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	80.27	41^st	398	89.7%
2023	81.39	17^th	403	95.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Johnston County Early College Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	95.85	31^st	585	94.7%
2023	94.64	44^th	602	92.7%
2024	95.93	23^rd	607	96.2%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Johnston County Early College Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	97.38	20^th	436	95.4%
2023	98.22	16^th	449	96.4%
2024	98.03	15^th	454	96.7%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Johnston County Early College Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	94.03	24^th	534	95.5%
2023	91.87	40^th	537	92.6%
2024	95.10	3^rd	553	99.5%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High 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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a student
Monday, July 21, 2014

I attend this school and I love it! The teachers are very dedicated and aren't afraid to give their students a challenge. It's an amazing opportunity and I feel blessed to attend it. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Johnston County Early College Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2010	64	17	1	17	1	n/a	n/a	100
2011	98	17	1	17	1	4	6	144
2012	124	22	1	26	1	4	10	188
2013	127	24	1	35	0	2	12	201
2014	121	30	1	47	1	0	9	209
2015	136	33	1	61	1	0	12	244
2016	123	30	2	78	2	0	9	244
2017	114	28	3	85	2	0	8	240
2018	95	30	4	92	3	0	8	232
2019	101	27	5	94	2	0	10	239
2020	96	29	4	92	2	0	8	231
2021	138	30	6	89	2	0	6	271
2022	143	25	6	94	3	0	7	278
2023	155	25	7	85	3	0	6	281

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 Johnston County Early College Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	100	4.2	23.5	32
2011	144	6.2	23.0	34
2012	188	6.8	27.4	31.9
2013	201	8.7	22.9	36.3
2014	209	9.4	22.1	40.7
2015	244	9.0	27.1	45.5
2016	244	9.0	27.1	34
2017	240	9.5	25.2	40.4
2018	232	9.2	25.0	37.9
2019	239	9.5	25.1	36
2020	231	9.4	24.4	32
2021	271	9.5	28.5	23.2
2022	278	9.5	29.2	21.9
2023	281	10.0	28.1	28.5

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 Johnston County Early College Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	100	4.2	23.5	32
2011	144	6.2	23.0	34
2012	188	6.8	27.4	31.9
2013	201	8.7	22.9	36.3
2014	209	9.4	22.1	40.7
2015	244	9.0	27.1	45.5
2016	244	9.0	27.1	34
2017	240	9.5	25.2	40.4
2018	232	9.2	25.0	37.9
2019	239	9.5	25.1	36
2020	231	9.4	24.4	32
2021	271	9.5	28.5	23.2
2022	278	9.5	29.2	21.9
2023	281	10.0	28.1	28.5

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 Johnston County Early College Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$137 (2.0%)	$6,766 (98.0%)	$6,903

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Johnston County Early College Academy

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.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Johnston County Early College Academy)	100	97.6	2.4%
End of Course Biology (Johnston County Public Schools)	51.2	53.2	2%
End of Course Biology (North Carolina)	59.6	54.1	5.5%
End of Course Math I (Johnston County Early College Academy)	68.4	91.7	23.3%
End of Course Math I (Johnston County Public Schools)	30.9	35.6	4.7%
End of Course Math I (North Carolina)	41.2	35.9	5.3%
End of Course Math III (Johnston County Early College Academy)	80.8	93.6	12.8%
End of Course Math III (Johnston County Public Schools)	40	51.2	11.2%
End of Course Math III (North Carolina)	46.8	58.3	11.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	239	281	17.6%
African American	27	25	7.4%
American Indian	2	3	50%
Asian	5	7	40%
Hispanic	94	85	9.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	101	155	53.5%
Two or More Races	10	6	40%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	36%	28.5%	7.5%

Schools Near Johnston County Early College Academy

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				EOC Biology (2024)	EOC English II (2024)	EOC Math I (2024)	EOC Math III (2024)	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	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Johnston County Early College Academy	Public	9-12	245 College Rd	Smithfield	27577	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 464-2314	281	10	28.1	28.5%	155 (55.2%)	25 (8.9%)	85 (30.2%)	7 (2.5%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.1%)	95.9	11^th of 640 public high schools	98.3%		95.5	18^th of 626 public high schools	97.1%	7	98.3	98.2	100.0	97.7								$6,903	$137	$6,766
Johnston County Schools Career Technical	Public	9-12	245 College Road	Smithfield	27577	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 464-2303	206	9	22.8	41.3%	100 (48.5%)	21 (10.2%)	84 (40.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	95.8	13^th of 640 public high schools	98.0%		95	25^th of 626 public high schools	96.0%	12	92.6	96.3	100.0	100.0								$7,440	$137	$7,303
Smithfield-Selma High	Public	9-12	700 M. Durwood Stephenson Park	Smithfield	27577	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 934-5191	1,503	93	16.1	68.9%	303 (20.2%)	392 (26.1%)	739 (49.2%)	11 (0.7%)	5 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (3.5%)	29.3	458^th of 640 public high schools	28.4%		24.1	485^th of 626 public high schools	22.5%	27	47.1	48.6	25.8	45.1								$10,069	$868	$9,200
North Johnston High	Public	9-12	5915 US Hwy 301 N	Kenly	27542	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 284-2031	787	53	14.9	62.0%	393 (49.9%)	72 (9.1%)	304 (38.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (2.2%)	38.2	383^rd of 640 public high schools	40.2%		45.4	320^th of 626 public high schools	48.9%	63	41.7	48.5	49.4	52.5								$10,995	$811	$10,184
Cleveland High	Public	9-12	1892 Polenta Rd	Clayton	27520	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 934-2455	1,879	99	18.9	35.0%	1,020 (54.3%)	330 (17.6%)	403 (21.4%)	26 (1.4%)	2 (0.1%)	4 (0.2%)	94 (5.0%)	49.7	300^th of 640 public high schools	53.1%		52.7	273^rd of 626 public high schools	56.4%	27	48.2	62.8	48.7	61.6								$7,646	$466	$7,180
Princeton High	Public	6-12	101 Dr Donnie H Jones Jr Blvd	Princeton	27569	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 936-5011	1,024	68	15.1	49.2%	691 (67.5%)	90 (8.8%)	186 (18.2%)	5 (0.5%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (4.9%)	48.5	307^th of 640 public high schools	52.0%		52.9	272^nd of 626 public high schools	56.5%	35	59.5	60.3	33.9	59.7	62.4	64.5	59.0	51.2	52.9	45.7	72.0	$9,669	$525	$9,144
South Johnston High	Public	9-12	10381 US Hwy 301 S	Four Oaks	27524	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 894-3146	1,331	77	17.3	56.4%	684 (51.4%)	155 (11.6%)	426 (32.0%)	5 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	58 (4.4%)	30.6	446^th of 640 public high schools	30.3%		28.3	448^th of 626 public high schools	28.4%	2	31.1	58.3	30.9	46.2								$9,204	$547	$8,657
West Johnston High	Public	9-12	5935 Raleigh Road	Benson	27504	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 934-7333	1,469	79	18.6	37.8%	834 (56.8%)	183 (12.5%)	366 (24.9%)	12 (0.8%)	6 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (4.6%)	41.4	363^rd of 640 public high schools	43.3%		38.1	370^th of 626 public high schools	40.9%	7	53.8	61.0	35.4	47.3								$8,533	$535	$7,999
Clayton High	Public	9-12	600 S Fayetteville St	Clayton	27520	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 553-4064	2,024	110	18.3	42.0%	836 (41.3%)	531 (26.2%)	522 (25.8%)	18 (0.9%)	5 (0.2%)	1 (0.0%)	111 (5.5%)	44.3	339^th of 640 public high schools	47.0%		32.7	411^th of 626 public high schools	34.3%	72	68.8	55.0	44.1	45.9								$7,541	$374	$7,166
Corinth Holders High	Public	9-12	6875 Applewhite Rd	Wendell	27591	Wake County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 365-4306	2,219	109	20.4	32.1%	1,290 (58.1%)	332 (15.0%)	468 (21.1%)	28 (1.3%)	9 (0.4%)	2 (0.1%)	90 (4.1%)	57.6	247^th of 640 public high schools	61.4%		57.9	241^st of 626 public high schools	61.5%	6	66.6	65.7	41.8	60.1								$7,404	$393	$7,011

Frequently Asked Questions about Johnston County Early College Academy

What district is Johnston County Early College Academy in?

Johnston County Public Schools

Is Johnston County Early College Academy a good school?

Yes! Johnston County Early College Academy is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 11^th of 640 North Carolina high schools.

How many students attend Johnston County Early College Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 281 students attended Johnston County Early College Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Johnston County Early College Academy?

Students at Johnston County Early College Academy are 55% White, 30% Hispanic, 9% African American, 2% Asian, 2% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.