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How Did Durham Fare in Best High School Rankings?

Wes Platt

Wes Platt

— 3 min read
How Did Durham Fare in Best High School Rankings?

Three Durham area high schools made it into the top 100 list in North Carolina for U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of the country’s best high schools.

The highest-ranked school in our area is Research Triangle High School, which came in fourth in the Durham metro area, 17th statewide, and 99th nationwide for public charter high schools.

Research Triangle High boasts an 83% graduation rate, an Advanced Placement (AP) participation rate of 90%, and total minority enrollment of 58%. The school’s overall score from U.S. News: 96.96/100.

The magazine’s ranking of the top high schools in the United States pulls data from about 25,000 public and public charter high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The top school among Durham Public Schools’ high schools: Durham School of the Arts, with a 95% graduation rate and an AP participation rate of 70%. Total minority enrollment is 65%, with 34% reported as economically disadvantaged. DSA comes in 34th statewide and sixth place in the Durham metro area (as measured by U.S. News). The school’s overall score: 94.74/100.

Second place in DPS: City of Medicine Academy, which came in 64th across all schools in North Carolina and ninth place in the Durham metro area. The school has a 95% graduation rate and an AP participation rate of 66%. Total minority enrollment is 93%, with 59% reported as economically disadvantaged. Overall score: 87.48/100.

Farther down the list, we find several other Durham area high schools, including:

  • Voyager Academy. No. 111 in NC. No. 13 in Durham metro area. No. 516 in charter high schools. 4,027 in national ranking. 86% graduation rate. Enrollment: 418. AP participation rate: 44%. Total minority enrollment: 46%. Economically disadvantaged: 23%. Overall score: 77.19/100.
  • Jordan High School. No. 172 in NC. No. 16 in Durham metro area. No. 3 in DPS high schools. 5,505 in national ranking. 83% graduation rate. 37 college readiness rating. Enrollment: 2,040. AP participation rate: 47%. Total minority enrollment: 70%. Economically disadvantaged: 42%. Overall score: 68.82/100.
  • J.D. Clement Early College High School. No. 218 in NC. No. 19 in Durham metro area. No. 4 in DPS high schools. 6,565 in national ranking. 95% graduation rate. N/A college readiness rating. Enrollment: 395. Total minority enrollment: 96%. Economically disadvantaged: 45%. Overall score: 62.81/100.
  • Riverside High School. No. 242 in NC. No. 20 in Durham metro area. No. 5 in DPS high schools. 7,332 in national ranking. 75% graduation rate. Enrollment: 1,812. AP participation rate: 41%. Total minority enrollment: 74%. Economically disadvantaged: 51%. Overall score: 58.47/100.
  • Hillside High School. No. 296 in NC. No. 22 in Durham metro area. No. 6 in DPS high schools. 8,378 in national ranking. 86% graduation rate. Enrollment: 1,526. IB participation rate: 24%. Total minority enrollment: 97%. Economically disadvantaged: 100%. Overall score: 50.5/100.
  • Hillside New Tech High School. No. 308 in NC. No. 24 in Durham metro area. No. 7 in DPS high schools. 8,988 in national ranking. 95% graduation rate. Enrollment: 251. Overall score: 49.09/100.
  • The School for Creative Studies. No. 337 in NC. No. 25 in Durham metro area. No. 8 in DPS high schools. 9,691 national ranking. 95% graduation rate. Enrollment: 275. Overall score: 45.11/100.
  • NC Virtual Academy. No. 409 in NC. No. 29 in Durham metro area. 1,169 in charter high schools. 11,984 in national ranking. 82% graduation rate. Enrollment: 835. Total minority enrollment: 57%. Overall score: 32.12/100.
  • North Carolina Cyber Academy. No. 30 in Durham metro area. 1,248 in charter high schools. No. 443 in NC. 12,927 in national ranking. 52% graduation rate. Enrollment: 1,027. AP participation rate: 14%. Total minority enrollment: 57%. Overall score: 26.78/100.

Bottom of the regional list, falling between 451 and 576 statewide and 13,242 and 17,655 nationally:

  • Ignite Online Academy. 81% graduation rate. Enrollment: 178. Total minority enrollment: 86%. Economically disadvantaged: 15%. Overall score: <25.
  • Northern High School. 83% graduation rate. Enrollment: 1,308. AP participation rate: 37%. Total minority enrollment: 82%. Economically disadvantaged: 64%. Overall score: <25.
  • Southern School of Energy and Sustainability. 80% graduation rate. Enrollment: 1,283. AP participation rate: 24%, Total minority enrollment: 97%. Economically disadvantaged: 100%. Overall score: <25.

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