STEM Early High

As a tight-knit middle-grades school in Henderson, North Carolina, STEM Early High educates 281 students from grades 6 through 8, overseen by Vance County Schools. That puts it 54% below the typical public school in North Carolina, which averages around 605 students.

Across the 16 schools in Vance County Schools (5,205 students total), STEM Early High accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On demographics, STEM Early High lists that the largest single group is Black at 48%, but no single group is in the majority; the rest breaks down as 31% Hispanic, 16% White, 3% multiracial, 2% Asian. That mix tracks the wider county fairly closely.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, STEM Early High has 17 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 16.7:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.9:1, putting STEM Early High higher than the state norm the norm. About 99% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

After controlling for student poverty, STEM Early High ranks in the top 10% of North Carolina public schools. The BeatsExpectations model, a per-state regression of composite proficiency on FRL share, predicts schools with this student profile to land around 48.6%; STEM Early High posts 66.0%, +17.4 points above that line.

In the broader community, the surrounding county (Vance County) records that the typical household earns roughly $50,465 per year, 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 14%. In all, Vance County runs 19 public schools (combined enrollment of about 7,495 students), of which STEM Early High is one.

The closest other public school is Vance Virtual Village Academy, roughly 0.0 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts STEM Early High at 1st of 5; the average score across the group is 38.1%.

The campus sits in a town-based setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at STEM Early High has ticked down 8%, going from 307 students in 2018 to 281 in 2025. The White share of enrollment decreased from 29% to 16% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 20.3:1 in 2018 to 16.7:1 today.

On the community side, members of the STEM Early High community share and discuss school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.