Top Rankings
Dare County Schools ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 5%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 3 public middle schools serving 1,378 students in Dare County Schools. This district's average middle testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public middle schools in North Carolina.
Public Middle Schools in Dare County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 62% (versus the North Carolina public middle school average of 48%), and reading proficiency score of 60% (versus the 50% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 28% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public middle school average of 56% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
11 Schools
879 Schools
# Students
5,102 Students
493,495 Students
# Teachers
414 Teachers
31,612 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Dare County Schools, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 320 school districts in North Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 93% has increased from 91% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#100 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(21-22)57%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
57%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
71%
63%
Graduation Rate
(21-22)93%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.45
0.71
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
4%
% Hispanic
20%
20%
% Black
1%
25%
% White
72%
44%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $13,260 is higher than the state median of $11,192. The school district revenue/student has grown by 8% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $12,873 is higher than the state median of $11,617. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$68 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$66 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$13,260
$11,192
Spending / Student
$12,873
$11,617
Best Dare County Schools Public Middle Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
First Flight Middle School
(Math: 67% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
109 Veterans Drive
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
(252) 441-8888
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
(252) 441-8888
Gr: 6-8 | 619 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 21%
Rank: #22.
Manteo Middle School
(Math: 57% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
1000 N Hwy 64
Manteo, NC 27954
(252) 473-5549
Manteo, NC 27954
(252) 473-5549
Gr: 6-8 | 396 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 43%
Rank: #33.
Cape Hatteras Secondary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
48576 Highway 12
Buxton, NC 27920
(252) 995-5730
Buxton, NC 27920
(252) 995-5730
Gr: 6-12 | 363 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 25%
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