All rankings · North Carolina
Best North Carolina public schools
Eight rankings of North Carolina's public schools from the latest NCES + state-assessment data. Unlike most school rankings, this list leads with BeatsExpectations: a demographics-adjusted score that asks how a school performs relative to what its student population would predict, not just in absolute terms.
North Carolina schools outperforming demographics
Top schools by BeatsExpectations score. Demographically-adjusted; a +20 here means the school posts 20 more proficiency points than its FRL profile predicts.| # | School | City | Beats by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pender Early College High | Burgaw | +42.3pp |
| 2 | Brunswick County Early College | Bolivia | +41.9pp |
| 3 | City of Medicine Academy | Durham | +41.7pp |
| 4 | Sampson Early College High | Clinton | +41.2pp |
| 5 | Rockingham Co Early College High | Wentworth | +40.6pp |
| 6 | Wayne Early / Middle College High | Goldsboro | +40.1pp |
| 7 | Wayne School of Engineering | Goldsboro | +39.9pp |
| 8 | Philip J Weaver Ed Center | Greensboro | +39.7pp |
| 9 | Vance Co Early College | Henderson | +39.7pp |
| 10 | Beaufort Co Early College High | Washington | +39.2pp |
| 11 | J D Clement Early College HS | Durham | +39.1pp |
| 12 | Stanly Early College High | Albemarle | +38.4pp |
| 13 | NRM Early College High School | Rocky Mount | +38.0pp |
| 14 | SandHoke Early College High | Raeford | +37.9pp |
| 15 | Lewisville Elementary | Lewisville | +37.7pp |
North Carolina Title I schools beating the odds
High-poverty schools (60%+ FRL) ranking in the top quartile of their state's proficiency.| # | School | City | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pender Early College High | Burgaw | 91.0% |
| 2 | Brunswick County Early College | Bolivia | 90.5% |
| 3 | City of Medicine Academy | Durham | 90.5% |
| 4 | Sampson Early College High | Clinton | 89.9% |
| 5 | Rockingham Co Early College High | Wentworth | 89.2% |
| 6 | Wayne Early / Middle College High | Goldsboro | 88.8% |
| 7 | Philip J Weaver Ed Center | Greensboro | 88.4% |
| 8 | Vance Co Early College | Henderson | 88.4% |
| 9 | Wayne School of Engineering | Goldsboro | 88.3% |
| 10 | Beaufort Co Early College High | Washington | 87.8% |
| 11 | J D Clement Early College HS | Durham | 87.7% |
| 12 | Stanly Early College High | Albemarle | 87.2% |
| 13 | NRM Early College High School | Rocky Mount | 86.5% |
| 14 | SandHoke Early College High | Raeford | 86.5% |
| 15 | Chocowinity Primary | Chocowinity | 86.4% |
North Carolina schools by raw proficiency
The traditional ranking: highest combined math + reading proficiency on the state assessment.| # | School | City | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ABSS Early College at ACC | Graham | 93.8% |
| 2 | Union County Early College | Monroe | 92.9% |
| 3 | Isaac M Bear Early College High School | Wilmington | 92.5% |
| 4 | Cumberland Polytechnic | Fayetteville | 92.3% |
| 5 | Wesley Chapel Elementary | Monroe | 92.2% |
| 6 | Wake STEM Early College High School | Cary | 92.2% |
| 7 | Wake Early College of Health and Science | Raleigh | 91.9% |
| 8 | Mills Park Middle | Cary | 91.8% |
| 9 | Pender Early College High | Burgaw | 91.0% |
| 10 | Polo Ridge Elementary | Charlotte | 91.0% |
| 11 | Providence Spring Elementary | Charlotte | 90.6% |
| 12 | Brunswick County Early College | Bolivia | 90.5% |
| 13 | City of Medicine Academy | Durham | 90.5% |
| 14 | Sandy Ridge Elementary | Waxhaw | 90.2% |
| 15 | Challenger Early College High | Hickory | 90.1% |
North Carolina schools with the lowest student-teacher ratios
Schools with 200+ students reporting the fewest students per teacher. Excludes virtual.| # | School | City | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cherokee Central Elementary School | Cherokee | 6.5:1 |
| 2 | Philip J Weaver Ed Center | Greensboro | 6.9:1 |
| 3 | Metro School | Charlotte | 7.2:1 |
| 4 | Cherokee Central High School | Cherokee | 7.6:1 |
| 5 | Madison High School | Marshall | 8.5:1 |
| 6 | University Park Creative Arts | Charlotte | 8.8:1 |
| 7 | Woods Charter | Chapel Hill | 9.5:1 |
| 8 | Druid Hills Academy | Charlotte | 9.7:1 |
| 9 | Powell Elementary | Raleigh | 9.8:1 |
| 10 | Willow Oak Montessori | Pittsboro | 9.8:1 |
| 11 | South Greenville Elementary | Greenville | 9.8:1 |
| 12 | W G Pearson Elementary | Durham | 10.0:1 |
| 13 | Hall-Woodward Elementary | Winston Salem | 10.0:1 |
| 14 | Selma Middle School | Selma | 10.0:1 |
| 15 | Rising Leaders Academy | Sanford | 10.0:1 |
Fastest-growing North Carolina public schools, 2017-2024
Schools open in both years with 200+ enrollment in 2017, ranked by % change.| # | School | City | Enrollment Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FernLeaf | Fletcher | +239% |
| 2 | Red Oak Elementary | Red Oak | +183% |
| 3 | Royal Oaks Elementary | Kannapolis | +177% |
| 4 | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Virtual School | Charlotte | +174% |
| 5 | Durham Charter School | Durham | +172% |
| 6 | Guilford Preparatory Academy | Greensboro | +165% |
| 7 | Pine Springs Preparatory Academy | Holly Springs | +147% |
| 8 | Youngsville Academy | Youngsville | +131% |
| 9 | Erwin Elementary | Erwin | +127% |
| 10 | Oxford Preparatory | Oxford | +124% |
| 11 | Triangle Math and Science Academy | Cary | +119% |
| 12 | Clara J Peck Elementary | Greensboro | +118% |
| 13 | Northeast Academy of Aerospace & AdvTech | Elizabeth City | +117% |
| 14 | Excelsior Classical Academy | Durham | +116% |
| 15 | Movement Charter School | Charlotte | +110% |
Most racially diverse North Carolina public schools
Schools with 200+ students ranked by diversity index: the chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.| # | School | City | Diversity index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hallsboro-Artesia Elementary | Hallsboro | 79.4% |
| 2 | Littlefield Middle | Lumberton | 79.0% |
| 3 | Tanglewood Elementary | Lumberton | 78.5% |
| 4 | East Robeson Primary | Lumberton | 78.5% |
| 5 | Trent Park Elementary | New Bern | 78.3% |
| 6 | Sandy Grove Elementary | Lumber Bridge | 78.2% |
| 7 | Stoney Point Elementary | Fayetteville | 77.6% |
| 8 | Sandy Grove Middle | Lumber Bridge | 77.5% |
| 9 | Longview Elementary | Hickory | 77.2% |
| 10 | Long Branch Elementary | Lumberton | 77.2% |
| 11 | Lumberton Senior High | Lumberton | 77.2% |
| 12 | Rashkis Elementary | Chapel Hill | 76.9% |
| 13 | Kingswood Elementary | Cary | 76.8% |
| 14 | East Columbus Junior-Senior High | Lake Waccamaw | 76.8% |
| 15 | Parkton Elementary | Parkton | 76.7% |
Largest North Carolina public schools
Brick-and-mortar schools ranked by total enrollment. Virtual schools excluded.| # | School | City | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Myers Park High School | Charlotte | 3,225 |
| 2 | Ardrey Kell High School | Charlotte | 3,036 |
| 3 | Apex Friendship High | Apex | 2,748 |
| 4 | Enloe High | Raleigh | 2,643 |
| 5 | Wake Preparatory Academy | Wake Forest | 2,617 |
| 6 | Panther Creek High | Cary | 2,609 |
| 7 | South Mecklenburg High School | Charlotte | 2,534 |
| 8 | William Amos Hough High | Cornelius | 2,518 |
| 9 | Millbrook High | Raleigh | 2,498 |
| 10 | Apex High | Apex | 2,449 |
| 11 | East Mecklenburg High School | Charlotte | 2,422 |
| 12 | Leesville Road High | Raleigh | 2,411 |
| 13 | Palisades High School | Charlotte | 2,332 |
| 14 | Rolesville High | Rolesville | 2,321 |
| 15 | Lincoln Charter School | Denver | 2,316 |
North Carolina schools underperforming demographics
Bottom 10% within state by BeatsExpectations. Not a verdict, a starting question. A school may be in leadership transition or recovering from a demographic shift.| # | School | City | Beats by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Rowan High | Spencer | -51.8pp |
| 2 | Koontz Elementary | Salisbury | -37.2pp |
| 3 | Tarboro High | Tarboro | -37.0pp |
| 4 | Northampton County High School | Gaston | -36.8pp |
| 5 | Center for Career Innovation | Asheville | -35.1pp |
| 6 | R Freeman Sch of Engineering | Wilmington | -33.2pp |
| 7 | Carver High | Winston Salem | -32.9pp |
| 8 | North Rowan Elementary | Spencer | -32.6pp |
| 9 | North Edgecombe High | Tarboro | -32.6pp |
| 10 | Vance County High School | Henderson | -32.2pp |
| 11 | Weldon STEM High School Career Academies | Halifax | -31.9pp |
| 12 | Eastern Randolph High School | Ramseur | -31.1pp |
| 13 | Southwestern Randolph High School | Asheboro | -30.9pp |
| 14 | Providence Grove High School | Climax | -29.7pp |
| 15 | Southwest High | Jacksonville | -29.4pp |
About these rankings
These tables use the most recent NCES Common Core of Data (2024-25) for enrollment, demographics, and staffing, and state-native assessment data (typically 2023-24 or 2024-25) for proficiency. BeatsExpectations is computed via per-state ordinary-least-squares regression of composite proficiency on free-and-reduced-lunch share. Full methodology.
License: CC-BY 4.0. Reproduce these rankings anywhere with attribution to allk12.com. Press contact: [email protected].
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