Seven of Pender County's 16 public schools are over capacity going into the 2026-27 school year. While relief is on the way in the form of two new schools opening, data shows that it won't be long before
growth is again straining the county school system.
The new J.H Lea Elementary and Middle Schools are expected to open next year with a maximum capacity of 2,312 students, taking some of the burden from neighboring schools. But looking to the future, the county is expected to add over 4,000 new students in K-8 alone by 2035, according to data from N.C. State's Institute for Transportation Research and Education.
Meanwhile, the county's largest school, Topsail High, is projected to enroll 500 more students than its stated capacity, which won't be helped by a new K-8 facility.
The school district is in the early stages of identifying priorities and solutions to manage the growth that looms. With new development weighing heavily on the county's eastern side, Pender County Schools is looking at how redistricting might lessen the pressure.
Limited resources
Capacity isn't just a problem for the future -- for many Pender County public schools, it's already here. The seven schools with enrollments above their stated capacity are all located in the county's eastern side. More specifically, in the Surf City/Topsail area.
"Enrollment above the stated capacity at our schools can certainly place a greater demand on our instructional space, as well as media centers, cafeterias, arrival and dismissal ... Transportation, the number of buses that we're running," said Superintendent Dr. Brad Breedlove.
He added that he and his staff are committed to managing that challenge through staffing, scheduling, classroom use, and student support planning groups.
"We work with our schools to actively manage these pressure points," Breedlove said.
More growth ahead
Pender County is projected to add over 6,000 new public school students over the next decade, according to data presented to the Pender County Board of Education by the Institute for Transportation Research and Education.
And it won't just affect schools in the east side, but also the more inland areas of Pender County, where growth is headed next. Several schools in the Rocky Point area, for example, are also expected to exceed capacity by 2035.
"What we're talking about is continued enrollment growth,” said Thomas Dudley, a school planner for the institute. "More is coming. With that, there's a need for more new schools. And as part of new schools comes the conversation of redistricting."
But before any new lines can be drawn, the district must decide how it wants to draw them.
Pender County Schools is beginning a community engagement process designed to help the district refine its priorities and to determine what criteria will carry the most weight when redrawing lines, whether it be transportation times, enrollment balance, or something else.
The community engagement will draw on the board of education, as well as administrators, teachers and parents. A final report of solutions is expected around the start of 2027.
Breedlove also said the board of education has directed him to start working on a bond plan for 2028 that would cover both new construction and maintenance on the county's aging schools.
Charlie Kingree is the Pender County and trending topics reporter for the StarNews. He can be reached at ckingree@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: 7 Pender schools are over capacity. A new K-8 school won't help them all
