Outer Banks Times

There were 8,108 students enrolled in Carteret County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 9.9% more than the previous year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

West Carteret High School registered the highest enrollment among Carteret County's 19 schools in the 2022-23 school year, welcoming 1,103 students.

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	Total Enrollment in 2021-22	Total Enrollment in 2022-23	% Change
West Carteret High School	1,089	1,103	1.3%
Croatan High School	881	957	8.6%
White Oak Elementary School	724	746	3%
Broad Creek Middle School	702	715	1.9%
Newport Elementary School	664	650	-2.1%
Morehead City Primary School	515	522	1.4%
East Carteret High School	522	515	-1.3%
Morehead City Middle School	447	481	7.6%
Bogue Sound Elementary School	425	460	8.2%
Newport Middle School	-	372	-
Beaufort Elementary School	365	367	0.5%
Morehead Elementary at Camp Glenn	288	290	0.7%
Beaufort Middle School	245	256	4.5%
Down East Middle and Smyrna Elementary School	238	231	-2.9%
Tiller School	-	197	-
Harkers Island Elementary School	111	116	4.5%
Atlantic Elementary School	69	74	7.2%
Marine Science & Technology Early College High School	80	44	-45%
Bridges School	12	12	0%