Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 26 schools in district

J T Barber Elementary

1700 Cobb Street, New Bern, NC 28560Craven County Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
284
Students
Total enrolled
$12,267
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 14% vs nat'l
12.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 18% vs nat'l
38/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 25% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 284 students in grades PK–05 in New Bern, North Carolina.
14% below average funding
District spends $12,267 per pupil, 14% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 38th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

J T Barber Elementary is a mid-sized elementary in New Bern, North Carolina, serving grades PK–05 with 284 students. The district invests $12,267 per student — 14% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 99% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 38/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at J T Barber Elementary

284
Total Students
12.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
99%
Free Lunch
23
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution155 male · 129 female
55%
45%
Male 55%Female 45%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility99%
National avg 52% · 281 students
Student Composition
12%
10%
11%
60%
8%
Asian12%
White10%
Hispanic / Latino11%
Black60%
Multiracial8%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370331000387

Academic Outcomes at J T Barber Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
38
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 38th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 18th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 28560

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,267Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,267
State avg
$13,042
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,397
Student Support$2,331
Administration$1,472
Operations$1,840
Other$1,227
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,267 spent per student, an estimated $5,434 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
59%
18%
State government
59.0%
Local (property tax)
18.0%
Federal programs
23.0%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 99% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Arthur W Edwards ElementaryCreekside ElementaryVanceboro-Farm Life ElementaryBrinson Memorial Elementary
+10 more
↓
Middle
H J MacDonald MiddleWest Craven MiddleTucker Creek MiddleGrover C Fields Middle
+1 more
↓
High School
New Bern HighHavelock HighWest Craven HighCraven Early College High
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyCraven County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictCraven County Schools →
Phone: (252)514-6460
NCES ID: 370331000387
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in New Bern seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Craven County Schools
High
New Bern High
1,631 students · 09–12
53% FRL
High
Havelock High
1,104 students · 09–12
49% FRL
High
West Craven High
860 students · 09–12
98% FRL
Mid
H J MacDonald Middle
712 students · 06–08
100% FRL
Mid
West Craven Middle
673 students · 06–08
98% FRL
Elem
Arthur W Edwards Elementary
533 students · KG–05
50% FRL
Mid
Tucker Creek Middle
519 students · 06–08
44% FRL
Mid
Grover C Fields Middle
509 students · 06–08
● 38 opp42% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1700 Cobb Street, New Bern, NC 28560
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.