Outer Banks Times

First Flight High School had the highest enrollment among Dare County schools, welcoming 927 students during the 2022-23 school year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Among the 10 schools in Dare County, Manteo Elementary School ranked second in enrollment numbers with 627 students, while First Flight Middle School welcomed 610 students and ranked third in the 2022-23 school year.

First Flight High School is part of Dare County Schools district, which roughly covers institutions within Dare County and has a main office in Nags Head.

In the previous school year, First Flight High School also had the highest number of students among Dare County schools.

North Carolina's public schools are facing a significant funding gap, with a per-student expenditure of $10,519 — well below the national average of $14,295.

This financial strain is further compounded by a significant challenge in staffing with a staggering 58.4% surge in vacant teaching positions in the 2021-22 school year, leaving over 5,000 classrooms without qualified instructors.

School name	City	Total School Enrollment
First Flight High School	Kill Devil Hills	927
Manteo Elementary School	Manteo	627
First Flight Middle School	Kill Devil Hills	610
Nags Head Elementary School	Nags Head	489
Kitty Hawk Elementary School	Kitty Hawk	451
Manteo Middle School	Manteo	373
Cape Hatteras Secondary School	Buxton	353
Cape Hatteras Elementary School	Buxton	297
First Flight Elementary School	Kill Devil Hills	293
Dare Learning Academy	Nags Head	20