The history of public education in Bladen County began shortly after the state passed its first common school law in 1839. The state was then divided into several school districts.[2] In August 1839, voters in Bladen County approved a measure establishing a school system in the county. The system started growing, and by 1900, there were 11 schools functioning in the county.[3]
By the 1966–1967 school year, the segregated Bladen County Schools was operating nine schools for black students and eight schools for white students. Integration and school consolidation movements developed that year and by 1971, the system was fully integrated.[3]
Student demographics
For the 2010–2011 school year, Bladen County Schools had a total population of 5,360 students and 359.92 teachers on a (FTE) basis. This produced a student-teacher ratio of 14.89:1.[1] That same year, out of the student total, the gender ratio was 51% male to 49% female. The demographic group makeup was: Black, 42%; White, 41%; Hispanic, 12%; American Indian, 1%; and Asian/Pacific Islander, 0% (two or more races: 4%).[4] For the same school year, 75.80% of the students received free and reduced-cost lunches.[5]
Governance
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(January 2022)
Some of the nine members of the Board of Education are elected by district, others are at-large members elected by the whole county. They serve four-year terms of office. The current members of the board are:[7]
District 1
Glenn McKoy
Gary Rhoda
District 2
Roger Carroll
Tim Benton (Board Vice Chair)
District 3
Chris Clark
Alan T. West
At-large
Dennis Edwards
Cory Singletary
Vinston Rozier (Board Chair)
Superintendent
Jason Atkinson has been the superintendent for the Bladen County Schools since March 15, 2021, succeeding Robert Taylor who went on to take the position of Deputy State Superintendent at the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.[8] Jason Atkinson has been given the 2021 Dr. Samuel Houston Leadership Award[9] and was selected as an honoree of the Modern Governance 100 for Community Boards program.[10]
^"2010–2011". Free & Reduced Meals Application Data. NC Department of Public Instruction. Archived from the original(XLS) on April 23, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2012.