Top Rankings
Durham School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 14 public middle schools serving 7,993 students in Durham School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in North Carolina.
Public Middle Schools in Durham School District have an average math proficiency score of 38% (versus the North Carolina public middle school average of 48%), and reading proficiency score of 45% (versus the 50% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 80% of the student body (majority Black and Hispanic), which is more than the North Carolina public middle school average of 57% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
57 Schools
872 Schools
# Students
31,791 Students
496,921 Students
# Teachers
2,104 Teachers
31,042 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Durham School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 314 school districts in North Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 82% has increased from 81% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#214 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Showing 2013–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(21-22)42%
51%
Showing 2012–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
44%
50%
Showing 2012–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
56%
63%
Graduation Rate
82%
86.5%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)40.7%
28.7%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.71
0.71
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
3%
4%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% Hispanic
35%
21%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
% Black
36%
25%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% White
20%
43%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $16,762 is higher than the state median of $13,318. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $18,894 is higher than the state median of $13,934. The school district spending/student has grown by 7% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$533 MM
$20,622 MM
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Spending
$601 MM
$21,575 MM
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Revenue / Student
$16,762
$13,318
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Spending / Student
$18,894
$13,934
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Best Durham School District Public Middle Schools (2026-27)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Lakewood Montessori Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 78%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
2119 Chapel Hill Rd
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-2894
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-2894
Gr: 6-8 | 309 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 42%
Rank: #22.
Durham School Of The Arts
Magnet School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 73%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
401 North Duke Street
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 560-3926
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 560-3926
Gr: 6-12 | 1,764 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 66%
Rank: #33.
Rogers-herr Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 62% | Reading: 67%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
911 Cornwallis Road
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-3970
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-3970
Gr: 6-8 | 660 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 70%
Rank: #44.
Dps Hospital School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50% )
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
Dumc Room 3605
Durham, NC 27710
(919) 684-5684
Durham, NC 27710
(919) 684-5684
Gr: PK-12
Rank: #55.
Sherwood Githens Middle School
(Math: 43% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
4800 Chapel Hill Road
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-3966
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-3966
Gr: 6-8 | 878 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 73%
Rank: #66.
James E Shepard Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 43% | Reading: 46%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
2401 Dakota Street
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-3938
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-3938
Gr: 6-8 | 423 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 98%
Rank: #77.
The School For Creative Studies
Magnet School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 46%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
5001 Red Mill Rd
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-3535
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-3535
Gr: 6-12 | 350 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 87%
Rank: #88.
George L Carrington Middle School
(Math: 36% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
227 Milton Road
Durham, NC 27712
(919) 560-3916
Durham, NC 27712
(919) 560-3916
Gr: 6-8 | 771 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 88%
Rank: #99.
Ignite Online Academy
(Math: 19% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
5321 Ephesus Church Rd.
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 972-4400
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 972-4400
Gr: K-12 | 363 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 83%
Rank: #1010.
Lucas Middle School
(Math: 29% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
923 Snow Hill Road
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-3843
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-3843
Gr: 6-8 | 400 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 88%
Rank: #1111.
Lowe's Grove Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 19% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
4418 S Alston Avenue
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 560-3946
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 560-3946
Gr: 6-8 | 564 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 93%
Rank: #1212.
Brogden Middle School
(Math: 25% | Reading: 28%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
1001 Leon Street
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-3906
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-3906
Gr: 6-8 | 753 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 88%
Rank: #1313.
Neal Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 15% | Reading: 26%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
201 Baptist Road
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-3955
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-3955
Gr: 6-8 | 706 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 97%
Rank: #1414.
Lakeview School
Alternative School
(Math: 6-9% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
3507 Dearborn Drive
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-2520
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-2520
Gr: 6-12 | 52 students Student-teacher ratio: 3:1 Minority enrollment: 94%
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