Harnett County Schools is a PK–12 graded school district serving Harnett County, North Carolina. Its 28 schools serve 20,615 students as of the 2015–16 school year.
High school students living in the Linden Oaks housing development, of Fort Bragg, are assigned to Harnett County Schools' Overhills High School.[2]
A push for school consolidation began in the 1920s. By 1933, more modern high schools and community schools were developed. Another push for consolidation occurred in the 1970s after desegregation.[3]: 124
The latter push for school consolidations began in 1963. However, county residents four times rejected bond referendums that would help pay for new schools. Even though the bond referendum failed in 1974, the county commissioners moved forward with their plans for the school construction, approving a tax increase to help fund it. The result was three new high schools: Western Harnett and Harnett Central in 1978, as well as Triton in 1986.[3]: 145
For the 2014–15 school year, Harnett County Schools had a total population of 20,506 students and 1,260.96 teachers on a (FTE) basis. This produced a student-teacher ratio of 16.26:1.[1] That same year, out of the total student population, the gender ratio was 52% male to 48% female. The demographic group makeup was: White, 53%; Black, 25%; Hispanic, 16%; American Indian, 1%; and Asian/Pacific Islander, 0% (two or more races: 4%).[4] For the same school year, 56.12% of the students received free and reduced-cost lunches.[5]
The primary governing body of Harnett County Schools follows a council–manager government format with a five-member Board of Education appointing a Superintendent to run the day-to-day operations of the system. The school system currently resides in the North Carolina State Board of Education's Fourth District.[6]