Outer Banks Times

The only school district in Carteret County had rising enrollment in the 2022-23 school year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

There were 7,911 students in the halls of Carteret County Public Schools, 2% higher than the year before.

The enrollment numbers in Carteret County amplified the state's increasing trend, showing a sharper increase in student numbers than the state average.

Carteret County Public Schools has a main office in Beaufort and is the only school district within Carteret County.

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