Top Rankings
Dare County Schools School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
Student Attention
Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 4 public high schools serving 1,834 students in Dare County Schools School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public high schools in North Carolina.
Public High Schools in Dare County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 53% (versus the North Carolina public high school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 60% (versus the 58% statewide average).
Public High School in Dare County School School District have a Graduation Rate of 91%, which is more than the North Carolina average of 85%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Manteo High School, with ≥95% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in North Carolina or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 25% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public high school average of 55% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
11 Schools
761 Schools
# Students
5,102 Students
565,764 Students
# Teachers
414 Teachers
33,453 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1
District Rank
Dare County Schools School District, 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 decreased from 95% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#100 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)

Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
57%
51%

Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
57%
50%

Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
71%
63%

Graduation Rate
93%
86%

Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.45
0.70
# American Indian Students
5 Students
5,772 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
34 Students
21,293 Students
% Asian Students
1%
4%
# Hispanic Students
1,021 Students
115,235 Students
% Hispanic Students
20%
20%
# Black Students
71 Students
138,700 Students
% Black Students
1%
24%
# White Students
3,644 Students
254,801 Students
% White Students
72%
45%
# Hawaiian Students
n/a
765 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
327 Students
30,969 Students
% of Two or more races Students
6%
6%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
137
491
# Students in K Grade:
301
6,922
# Students in 1st Grade:
344
6,949
# Students in 2nd Grade:
359
7,207
# Students in 3rd Grade:
353
7,125
# Students in 4th Grade:
382
7,196
# Students in 5th Grade:
377
7,763
# Students in 6th Grade:
405
11,146
# Students in 7th Grade:
378
12,024
# Students in 8th Grade:
392
12,284
# Students in 9th Grade:
413
137,976
# Students in 10th Grade:
442
126,349
# Students in 11th Grade:
437
117,582
# Students in 12th Grade:
382
104,750
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $13,260 is higher than the state median of $11,187. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $12,873 is higher than the state median of $11,612. 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
$11,187

Spending / Student
$12,873
$11,612

Best Dare County Schools School District Public High Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Manteo High School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 70-74%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
829 Wingina Avenue
Manteo, NC 27954
(252) 473-5841
Manteo, NC 27954
(252) 473-5841
Grades: 9-12
| 530 students
Rank: #22.
First Flight High School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 64%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
100 Veterans Drive
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
(252) 449-7000
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
(252) 449-7000
Grades: 9-12
| 913 students
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
Grades: 6-12
| 363 students
Rank: #44.
Dare Learning Academy
Alternative School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
100 Veterans Drive
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
(252) 480-8888
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
(252) 480-8888
Grades: 9-12
| 28 students
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