Wilmington Early College High

Q: Is Wilmington Early College High a good school?

Wilmington Early College High ranks 95 th of 640 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Wilmington Early College High is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Castle Hayne, North Carolina, with a student population of 255. This school consistently outperforms the New Hanover County Schools district and the state of North Carolina in academic metrics, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and ranking among the top 100 high schools in the state.

Wilmington Early College High's academic excellence is evident in its exceptional end-of-course (EOC) test scores, which far surpass the district and state averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school had a 96.4% proficiency rate in EOC English II, compared to 67.4% for the district and 59.7% for the state. The school also excels in the performance of various student subgroups, including female students, male students, African American students, Hispanic students, and white students, consistently ranking in the top 100 high schools in the state for these subgroups.

Despite the school's high academic performance, it serves a population with significant socioeconomic challenges, as over 98% of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This highlights Wilmington Early College High's ability to provide a high-quality education to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Interestingly, the school's diverse student population, with a racial makeup of approximately 59% white, 19% African American, and 17% Hispanic, is not as pronounced in some of the nearby schools, such as John T. Hoggard High, which has a higher percentage of white students.

Detail:

Public 9-12

4500 Blue Clay Rd
Castle Hayne, NC 28429

(910) 362-7789

District: New Hanover County Schools

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,673

Student/teacher ratio: 23.0

Number of students: 254

Racial breakdown:

White:

56.3%

Hispanic:

20.1%

African American:

18.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 98.8%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Wilmington Early College High ranks better than 85.2% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 2^nd among 9 ranked high schools in the New Hanover County Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 88.33. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Wilmington Early College High is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (56.3%), Hispanic (20.1%), African American (18.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 98.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Wilmington Early College High is 23. 7 high schools in the New Hanover County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Wilmington Early College High employs 11 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Wilmington Early College High is $8,673, which is the lowest among 9 high schools in the New Hanover County Schools District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Wilmington Early College High:

SchoolDigger ranks Wilmington Early College High 95^th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Wilmington Early College High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

New Hanover County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks New Hanover County Schools 70^th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Wilmington Early College High

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Rank History for all students at Wilmington Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	94.42	35^th	594	94.1%
2022	86.15	100^th	621	83.9%
2023	95.12	24^th	626	96.2%
2024	88.33	95^th	640	85.2%

See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Wilmington Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	83.46	81^st	544	85.1%
2023	96.96	28^th	597	95.3%
2024	88.69	89^th	613	85.5%

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

Rank History for Female students at Wilmington Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	82.65	101^st	594	83.0%
2023	94.69	20^th	588	96.6%
2024	82.65	117^th	602	80.6%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Wilmington Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	60.61	185^th	398	53.5%
2023	81.45	16^th	403	96.0%
2024	78.53	45^th	403	88.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at Wilmington Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	90.39	80^th	585	86.3%
2023	95.17	38^th	602	93.7%
2024	92.78	61^st	607	90.0%

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

Rank History for African American students at Wilmington Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	88.23	51^st	430	88.1%
2023	97.92	19^th	434	95.6%
2024	96.63	28^th	437	93.6%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Wilmington Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	74.69	92^nd	436	78.9%
2023	96.28	28^th	449	93.8%
2024	84.18	72^nd	454	84.1%

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

Rank History for White students at Wilmington Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	83.39	91^st	534	83.0%
2023	94.28	17^th	537	96.8%
2024	87.51	81^st	553	85.4%

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: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a student
Thursday, April 21, 2016

The administration has no respect students privacy. Uses general terms to bypass and confidentiality. Would not recommend doing any counseling or private talk anywhere near any faculty or staff - definitely not near the principal. Close Quote

by a student
Monday, February 1, 2010

Awesome school! Great diversity and also great teachers to help you when you need it. Freshman year is pretty hard, but your student will get use to it after that year. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Wilmington Early College High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2008	20	33	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	57
2009	38	41	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	84
2010	62	57	4	6	0	n/a	n/a	129
2011	91	68	6	13	0	0	9	187
2012	93	57	7	18	0	0	15	190
2013	87	61	7	14	0	0	6	175
2014	90	53	6	20	0	0	6	175
2015	101	53	6	22	0	0	7	189
2016	107	60	4	22	0	0	7	200
2017	130	66	6	21	0	0	6	229
2018	137	64	5	27	0	0	11	244
2019	147	56	5	30	1	0	12	251
2020	157	50	7	37	1	0	11	263
2021	146	40	5	41	1	0	14	247
2022	151	35	5	41	0	0	11	243
2023	150	48	6	43	0	0	8	255
2024	143	47	5	51	0	0	8	254

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 Wilmington Early College High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	57	5.1	11.2	n/a
2009	84	7.9	10.6	38.1
2010	129	9.0	14.3	34.1
2011	187	10.0	18.7	40.1
2012	190	8.3	22.8	45.8
2013	175	9.0	19.4	49.1
2014	175	9.0	19.3	57.7
2015	189	9.0	21.0	44.4
2016	200	9.0	22.2	43
2017	229	9.0	25.4	42.8
2018	244	10.1	24.0	33.6
2019	251	10.4	24.1	46.2
2020	263	10.8	24.2	98.5
2021	247	11.3	21.7	98.8
2022	243	12.0	20.0	98.8
2023	255	12.0	21.1	98.8
2024	254	11.0	23.0	98.8

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 Wilmington Early College High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	57	5.1	11.2	n/a
2009	84	7.9	10.6	38.1
2010	129	9.0	14.3	34.1
2011	187	10.0	18.7	40.1
2012	190	8.3	22.8	45.8
2013	175	9.0	19.4	49.1
2014	175	9.0	19.3	57.7
2015	189	9.0	21.0	44.4
2016	200	9.0	22.2	43
2017	229	9.0	25.4	42.8
2018	244	10.1	24.0	33.6
2019	251	10.4	24.1	46.2
2020	263	10.8	24.2	98.5
2021	247	11.3	21.7	98.8
2022	243	12.0	20.0	98.8
2023	255	12.0	21.1	98.8
2024	254	11.0	23.0	98.8

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 Wilmington Early College High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$273 (3.1%)	$8,400 (96.9%)	$8,673

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Wilmington Early College High

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 (Wilmington Early College High)	87.9	89.7	1.8%
End of Course Biology (New Hanover County Schools)	67	54.8	12.2%
End of Course Biology (North Carolina)	59.6	54.1	5.5%
End of Course English II (Wilmington Early College High)	88.5	96.4	7.9%
End of Course English II (New Hanover County Schools)	64.7	63.8	0.9%
End of Course English II (North Carolina)	59.7	58.5	1.2%
End of Course Math I (Wilmington Early College High)	84.2	92.6	8.4%
End of Course Math I (New Hanover County Schools)	42.5	40.1	2.4%
End of Course Math I (North Carolina)	41.2	35.9	5.3%
End of Course Math III (Wilmington Early College High)	83.1	98.8	15.7%
End of Course Math III (New Hanover County Schools)	49.1	65.4	16.3%
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	251	255	1.6%
African American	56	48	14.3%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	5	6	20%
Hispanic	30	43	43.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	147	150	2%
Two or More Races	12	8	33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	46.2%	98.8%	52.6%

Schools Near Wilmington Early College High

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
Wilmington Early College High	Public	9-12	4500 Blue Clay Rd	Castle Hayne	28429	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 362-7789	254	11	23.0	98.8%	143 (56.3%)	47 (18.5%)	51 (20.1%)	5 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.1%)	88.3	95^th of 640 public high schools	85.2%		95.1	24^th of 626 public high schools	96.2%	71	70.5	96.4	84.4	87.5								$8,673	$273	$8,400
SEA-Technical	Public	9-12	5301 Sidbury Road	Castle Hayne	28429	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 530-6300	265	16	16.6	98.9%	155 (58.5%)	42 (15.8%)	46 (17.4%)	6 (2.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.7%)	87	104^th of 640 public high schools	83.8%		76.7	145^th of 626 public high schools	76.8%	41	90.6	83.0	77.8	77.8								$13,361	$253	$13,108
Emsley A Laney High	Public	9-12	2700 N College Rd	Wilmington	28405	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 350-2089	2,248	112	20.0	99.7%	1,266 (56.3%)	413 (18.4%)	394 (17.5%)	36 (1.6%)	7 (0.3%)	3 (0.1%)	129 (5.7%)	47.4	315^th of 640 public high schools	50.8%		44.1	328^th of 626 public high schools	47.6%	13	66.6	64.4	26.9	53.9								$8,690	$533	$8,157
Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington	Public, Charter	6-12	4100 Sunglow Drive	Wilmington	28405	New Hanover County	Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington	Yes	No	No	Yes	(910) 338-5258	344	33	10.4	98.0%	137 (39.8%)	94 (27.3%)	69 (20.1%)	6 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (11.0%)	46.4	321^st of 640 public high schools	49.8%		28.3	446^th of 626 public high schools	28.8%	125	55.8	69.6	27.3	45.8	50.0	46.4	45.5	55.2	50.0	53.0	72.7
Career Readiness Academy at Mosley PLC	Public	6-12	3702 Princess Place Drive	Wilmington	28405	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 251-6161	86	14	6.1	96.5%	26 (30.2%)	16 (18.6%)	38 (44.2%)	2 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.7%)	28.3	465^th of 640 public high schools	27.3%		25.8	472^nd of 626 public high schools	24.6%	7	38.5	38.5	26.9	61.5								$21,178	$2,660	$18,517
New Hanover High	Public	9-12	1307 Market St	Wilmington	28401	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 251-6100	1,515	97	15.5	99.8%	599 (39.5%)	458 (30.2%)	375 (24.8%)	13 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	68 (4.5%)	32	432^nd of 640 public high schools	32.5%		27.5	459^th of 626 public high schools	26.7%	27	50.4	47.0	21.6	55.1								$10,692	$741	$9,950
Isaac M Bear Early College High School	Public	9-12	630 MacMillan Avenue	Wilmington	28403	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 350-1387	251	10	25.5	21.5%	152 (60.6%)	12 (4.8%)	47 (18.7%)	23 (9.2%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	15 (6.0%)	91.3	63^rd of 640 public high schools	90.2%		95.1	23^rd of 626 public high schools	96.3%	40	85.7	92.5	70.8	91.4								$9,555	$284	$9,271
Heide Trask High	Public	9-12	14328 NC Hwy 210	Rocky Point	28457	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 602-6810	734	45	16.3	99.3%	302 (41.1%)	129 (17.6%)	257 (35.0%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (5.9%)	33.3	420^th of 640 public high schools	34.4%		28.3	447^th of 626 public high schools	28.6%	27	35.7	53.4	46.3	41.1								$10,484	$771	$9,712
John T Hoggard High	Public	9-12	4305 Shipyard Blvd	Wilmington	28403	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 350-2072	2,178	112	19.4	32.2%	1,446 (66.4%)	266 (12.2%)	313 (14.4%)	45 (2.1%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.0%)	105 (4.8%)	66.3	198^th of 640 public high schools	69.1%		65.9	190^th of 626 public high schools	69.6%	8	67.5	76.0	43.9	68.4								$8,673	$593	$8,080
North Brunswick High	Public	9-12	114 Scorpion Drive	Leland	28451	Brunswick County	Brunswick County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 371-2261	1,560	86	18.1	99.8%	801 (51.3%)	301 (19.3%)	325 (20.8%)	6 (0.4%)	12 (0.8%)	4 (0.3%)	111 (7.1%)	45.1	332^nd of 640 public high schools	48.1%		38.7	363^rd of 626 public high schools	42.0%	31	67.5	54.9	29.7	57.3								$10,133	$1,075	$9,059

Frequently Asked Questions about Wilmington Early College High

Is Wilmington Early College High a good school?

Wilmington Early College High ranks 95^th of 640 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Wilmington Early College High?

Students at Wilmington Early College High are 56% White, 20% Hispanic, 19% African American, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What district is Wilmington Early College High in?

New Hanover County Schools

How many students attend Wilmington Early College High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 254 students attended Wilmington Early College High.

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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.