What Duplin County Schools does

Duplin County Schools is a public K-12 school district headquartered in Kenansville, North Carolina, operating 13 schools — 7 K-8 schools, 1 K-6 school, 4 traditional high schools, and 1 early college high school — that serves students from Pre-K through grade 13 in rural eastern North Carolina. The district's signature educational framework is STEAMA (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, and Agriculture), launched in 2018, which integrates agriculture into the STEM disciplines and connects curriculum to Duplin County's agricultural industry and workforce needs. Three specialized career academies — Agribusiness, Health Sciences, and Industrial Trades & Technology — operationalize the 'Career Pathways with Purpose' approach, supplemented by a comprehensive CTE program, athletics, child nutrition (including free meals through the Community Eligibility Program for 2025-2026), exceptional children's services, and scholarship funding via the Duplin County Education Foundation.

The district does not generate commercial revenue; it is funded through local, state, and federal appropriations under oversight of the North Carolina State Board of Education. Its core technology stack comprises third-party K-12 platforms: Infinite Campus for student information, Canvas for learning management, NCEdCloud for authentication, Google Workspace for collaboration, Frontline Education for HR, TimeKeeper for staff attendance, Destiny Discover for library, DragonFly Max for athletics, ScribOrder for records requests, and K12PaymentCenter.com for meal payments. Public communications are delivered through a Finalsite-powered website, a 2025-launched DCS Mobile App, and a YouTube channel. The district holds Cognia Accreditation and Cognia STEM Certification — the only North Carolina school system and one of two in Cognia's Mid-Atlantic region to do so. Governance is provided by a five-member elected Board of Education; Superintendent Daren Tyndall assumed leadership in 2025 after Austin Obasohan's 2010-2025 tenure, bringing over 34 years of internal district experience.

Name

Duplin County Schools

Legal name

Duplin County Schools

Website

https://duplinschools.net

Company type

Public

Founded year

1881

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Duplin County Schools is a public K-12 school district in rural eastern North Carolina operating 13 schools serving PK-13 students. Its signature STEAMA curriculum integrates STEM with agriculture, supported by specialized academies, free meals, and Cognia STEM Certification.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE), Public Magnet & Specialty Schools (STEM/Arts/IB/CTE) (EDAJAAAF)

Keywords

• Public school education
• K-12 education services
• STEAM education curriculum
• Career technical education
• Specialized academy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kenansville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Duplin County Schools is a public school district operating 13 schools (7 K-8, 1 K-6, 4 traditional high schools, 1 early college high school) serving Pre-K through grade 13 students in rural eastern North Carolina. The district delivers free K-12 public education through its signature STEAMA (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, and Agriculture) curriculum model, offering personalized career and college pathways supported by specialized academies in Health Sciences, Agribusiness, and Industrial Trades & Technology.

Product overview

Duplin County Schools is a public school district operating 13 schools in rural eastern North Carolina, offering a unified K-12 educational program centered on its signature STEAMA (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, Agriculture) initiative. The district's core offering is its personalized career and college pathway approach, supported by specialized academies including the Duplin Health Sciences Academy, Duplin Agribusiness Academy, and Duplin Industrial Trades & Technology Academy. The district provides comprehensive support services including athletics programs, child nutrition, digital learning, exceptional children's services, and scholarship opportunities through the Duplin County Education Foundation. Key digital services include a mobile app for parents and students, and the district leverages third-party platforms including Infinite Campus for student information, Canvas LMS for learning management, and K12PaymentCenter.com for meal payments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STEAMA: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, and Agriculture educational approach providing personalized career pathways for all PK-13 students
• Duplin County Education Foundation
• Duplin Agribusiness Academy
• Duplin Health Sciences Academy
• Duplin Industrial Trades & Technology Academy

Products and services

• Career and Technical Education (CTE) Comprehensive CTE program with multiple program areas, career development, work-based learning, internships, career technical student organizations, and career connections across multiple industry sectors.
• Duplin Health Sciences Academy Specialized academy preparing students for health sciences careers through curriculum, volunteer opportunities, awards, and partnerships with ECU Health Duplin Hospital.
• Duplin Agribusiness Academy Career pathway program focused on agriculture and agribusiness careers, leveraging Duplin County's agricultural industry strengths with pathways, industry partnerships, and college connections.
• Duplin Industrial Trades & Technology Academy Specialized academy offering pathways in industrial trades and technology careers, preparing students for workforce opportunities in manufacturing, construction, and technical fields.
• Duplin Early College High School Early college high school allowing students to earn both high school diplomas and college credits, with a specialized STEAMA-focused curriculum and calendar.
• DCS Mobile App Mobile application for Apple and Android devices enabling users to view news, calendar info, sports scores, access school and staff information, and receive important district alerts.
• Child Nutrition Program School meal program providing breakfast and lunch to students through the Community Eligibility Program, with online payment via K12PaymentCenter.com and menus available for families.
• Digital Learning & Media Services District technology and digital learning support including the 2024-2027 Digital Learning & Technology Plan, internet safety resources, media services, and technology department support.
• Duplin County Education Foundation Scholarships Education foundation providing scholarships to graduating seniors across all five high schools including East Duplin, James Kenan, North Duplin Jr./Sr., Wallace-Rose Hill, and Duplin Early College High School.
• Exceptional Children's Program Special education services including Child Find, MTSS support, special needs preschool program, seclusion and restraint resources, and parents' rights information.
• Athletics Program District-wide athletics program for middle and high schools including football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, and other sports managed through the DragonFly Max platform.
• K-12 Education Services Core K-12 public education services across 13 schools: 7 K-8 schools, 1 K-6 school, 4 traditional high schools, and 1 early college high school serving students in rural eastern North Carolina.
• STEAMA Camp Summer enrichment program for students providing hands-on career exploration through STEAMA activities, field trips, and interactive learning experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students graduate with purposeful pathways to career and college success
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ECU Health Duplin HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Health Sciences Academy allowing students to explore healthcare careers. Includes VolunTeen program at ECU Health Duplin Hospital for student volunteer opportunities and telehealth services through ECU Health Lives at School and Beyond program.
• Kenansville Lions ClubminorOthersProvides scholarships for visually impaired or legally blind students, or students pursuing eye care careers. Awards $500 scholarships to Duplin County Schools graduating seniors.
• Kenansville Chamber of CommerceminorOthersProvides $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors of James Kenan High School and Duplin Early College High School who have excelled academically.
• Smith Brothers Gas Company & Southeastern Water ConditioningminorOthersProvides the Layla Grace Mewborn Memorial Scholarship ($750 each) to students at Wallace-Rose Hill High School, James Kenan High School, and North Duplin Jr./Sr. High School.
• Duplin County Education FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit foundation supporting Duplin County Schools through scholarships for graduating seniors. Awards numerous scholarships across all five high schools totaling various amounts from $300 to $6,000 per scholarship.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pender County Schools: Eastern NC public school district operating along a similar rural/coastal corridor with CTE pathways and high school academies. Comparable in scale, regulatory environment, and focus on career readiness for rural students.
• Wayne County Public Schools: Neighboring NC public school district serving a similar rural eastern NC population. Comparable in scale, funding model, and governance, and operates Career and Technical Education pathways and high school academies similar to Duplin's STEAMA academies.
• Sampson County Schools: Neighboring rural eastern North Carolina public K-12 district of similar size and demographic profile. Directly comparable as a peer public school district operating multiple schools in a rural agricultural county with comparable funding structure under the NC State Board of Education.
• Bladen County Schools: Rural eastern North Carolina public school district of comparable size to Duplin. Competes for similar state and federal funding, faces similar demographic and economic challenges, and operates a comparable K-12 program structure with career academies.
• Wilson County Schools: NC public school district operating multiple schools under the same state regulatory framework. Directly comparable on governance, funding model, and program mix, including CTE and career pathway programs.
• Robeson County Schools: Rural southeastern NC public K-12 district operating multiple schools with similar CTE and career academy offerings. Comparable governance structure and funding source mix under the NC Department of Public Instruction.
• Lenoir County Public Schools: Public K-12 district in adjacent eastern NC serving a comparable rural population with similar economic base. Operates multiple schools with CTE pathways, mirroring Duplin's core service model.

Others

• North Carolina Department of Public Instruction: State-level agency that oversees all NC public school districts including Duplin County Schools. Relevant as a regulatory and funding counterpart rather than a peer in the competitive sense.
• Cognia: Global nonprofit accreditation agency that issues the STEM Certification that Duplin County Schools has earned. Relevant as an ecosystem participant (third-party validator) rather than a competitor.

Regional players

• Onslow County Schools: Larger eastern NC public school district also operating under the NC Department of Public Instruction with similar career academy and STEM programming. Larger scale makes it a benchmark for capacity rather than a direct one-for-one peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@dcsvideos8398
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-duplin-high-school

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Duplin County Schools