Top Rankings
Orange County Schools ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 10 public elementary schools serving 4,633 students in Orange County Schools. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in North Carolina.
Public Elementary Schools in Orange County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 46% (versus the North Carolina public elementary school average of 50%), and reading proficiency score of 43% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 53% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public elementary school average of 58% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
13 Schools
2,146 Schools
# Students
6,982 Students
1,094,560 Students
# Teachers
453 Teachers
71,669 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Orange County Schools, 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 86% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#181 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)49%
51%
Showing 2012–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
46%
50%
Showing 2012–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
61%
63%
Graduation Rate
86%
86.5%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)25.5%
28.7%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.67
0.72
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
2%
5%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 35-year historical data available below ↓
% Hispanic
29%
22%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
% Black
14%
24%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% White
48%
42%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
6%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $16,103 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 $16,886 is higher than the state median of $13,934. The school district spending/student has grown by 8% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$112 MM
$20,622 MM
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Spending
$118 MM
$21,575 MM
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Revenue / Student
$16,103
$13,318
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Spending / Student
$16,886
$13,934
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Best Orange County Schools Public Elementary Schools (2026-27)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Hillsborough Elementary School
(Math: 73% | Reading: 75%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
402 North Nash Street
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-6137
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-6137
Gr: PK-5 | 435 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 23%
Rank: #22.
River Park Elementary School
(Math: 61% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
240 St. Mary's Road
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-9326
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-9326
Gr: PK-5 | 523 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 41%
Rank: #33.
Orange Middle School
(Math: 56% | Reading: 49%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
308 Orange High Rd
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-6121
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-6121
Gr: 6-8 | 514 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 42%
Rank: #44.
Pathways Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
431 Strouds Creek Road
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-9136
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-9136
Gr: PK-5 | 371 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 45%
Rank: #55.
A L Stanback Middle School
(Math: 43% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
3700 Nc 86 South
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 644-3200
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 644-3200
Gr: 6-8 | 648 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 63%
Rank: #66.
New Hope Elementary School
(Math: 41% | Reading: 37%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
1900 New Hope Church Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 942-9696
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 942-9696
Gr: PK-5 | 528 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 73%
Rank: #77.
Central Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
154 Hayes St
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-3622
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-3622
Gr: PK-5 | 261 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 60%
Rank: #88.
Grady Brown Elementary School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
1100 New Grady Brown Rd
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-6138
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 732-6138
Gr: PK-5 | 406 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 58%
Rank: #99.
Efland Cheeks Elementary School
(Math: 39% | Reading: 28%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
4401 Fuller Rd
Efland, NC 27243
(919) 245-4042
Efland, NC 27243
(919) 245-4042
Gr: PK-5 | 532 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 67%
Rank: #1010.
Gravelly Hill Middle School
(Math: 29% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
4801 West Ten Road
Efland, NC 27243
(919) 245-4050
Efland, NC 27243
(919) 245-4050
Gr: 6-8 | 415 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 55%
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