The Columbus County Community Foundation awarded the Border Belt Independent a $5,000 grant to fund Data Point, a concise feature that focuses on numbers and statistics highlighting an issue or trend in the Border Belt. The Columbus County Community Foundation is a nonprofit that connects people with causes and organizations they care about. It is part of the North Carolina Community Foundation network.
Robeson County school officials are looking for the district’s next superintendent.
They hope to hire a new leader by November 19, according to Richard Schwartz, the attorney for the local school board.
Freddie Williamson, who has served as superintendent of Public Schools of Robeson County since 2020, announced his retirement in June after more than 40 years in public education. The school board tapped William “Bill” Harrison to serve as interim superintendent until February 1.
The board hired the North Carolina School Boards Association to help with the search. And it released a survey in English and Spanish for parents, students, community members and other stakeholders to weigh in.
Robeson’s next school leader will face unique challenges, as the county is among the poorest and most diverse counties in the state. Here’s a look at the district by the numbers:
20,399
The district’s student population last school year, according to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. Like many public school districts across the state, Robeson has seen a drop in enrollment in recent years as more families opt for charter and private schools.
16
Public Schools of Robeson County is the 16th largest school district in North Carolina, according to Niche.
40
The number of schools in the district last school year. The new Robeson Career and Technical Education Center will open near Lumberton in August.
37.5
The percentage of students in the district who were proficient on state tests in the 2024-2025 school year. The figure was up from 21.3% in 2020-2021 but continued to lag behind pre-pandemic scores.
13
The number of schools that exceeded academic growth standards during the 2024-2025 school year. The same number of schools did not meet standards.
85.6
The percentage of students in the district who graduated in four years in 2025. The statewide figure was 87.8%.
36
The percentage of Native American students in the district in 2025-2026. Meanwhile, 23.5% of students were Black, 22.5% were Hispanic, 9.4% were white, and 7.7% were two or more races.
47
The district ranks 47th among North Carolina’s 115 school districts for state funding, with $9,185.75 per student. It ranks seventh for federal funding and 114th for local funding, figures show.
68
The percentage of students in the district who are economically disadvantaged, according to U.S. News & World Report. That’s higher than the statewide average of 51% during the 2025-2026 school year.