Top Rankings
Orange County Schools School District 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 2025 school year, there are 7 public preschools serving 3,117 students in Orange County Schools School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public pre schools in North Carolina.
Public Preschools in Orange County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 49% (versus the North Carolina public pre school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 45% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 53% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public preschool average of 59% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
14 Schools
994 Schools
# Students
7,249 Students
464,055 Students
# Teachers
505 Teachers
33,275 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1
District Rank
Orange County Schools School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 320 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 91% has increased from 89% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#181 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)

Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
49%
51%

Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
46%
50%

Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
61%
63%

Graduation Rate
91%
86%

Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.67
0.72
# American Indian Students
19 Students
6,572 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
133 Students
18,458 Students
% Asian Students
2%
4%
# Hispanic Students
1,984 Students
105,943 Students
% Hispanic Students
27%
23%
# Black Students
1,055 Students
114,509 Students
% Black Students
15%
25%
# White Students
3,500 Students
189,147 Students
% White Students
48%
41%
# Hawaiian Students
n/a
648 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
558 Students
28,778 Students
% of Two or more races Students
8%
6%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
86
23,104
# Students in K Grade:
456
72,144
# Students in 1st Grade:
508
74,289
# Students in 2nd Grade:
507
75,942
# Students in 3rd Grade:
506
68,925
# Students in 4th Grade:
563
69,686
# Students in 5th Grade:
564
66,668
# Students in 6th Grade:
491
5,021
# Students in 7th Grade:
541
3,684
# Students in 8th Grade:
588
3,629
# Students in 9th Grade:
649
214
# Students in 10th Grade:
634
194
# Students in 11th Grade:
636
187
# Students in 12th Grade:
520
368
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $13,882 is higher than the state median of $11,187. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $15,475 is higher than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$101 MM
$17,307 MM

Spending
$112 MM
$17,964 MM

Revenue / Student
$13,882
$11,187

Spending / Student
$15,475
$11,612

Best Orange County Schools School District Public Preschools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
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
Grades: PK-5
| 434 students
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
Grades: PK-5
| 555 students
Rank: #33.
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
Grades: PK-5
| 352 students
Rank: #44.
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
Grades: PK-5
| 538 students
Rank: #55.
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
Grades: PK-5
| 287 students
Rank: #66.
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
Grades: PK-5
| 401 students
Rank: #77.
Efland Cheeks Elementary School
(Math: 39% | Reading: 28%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
4401 Fuller Rd
Efland, NC 27243
(919) 563-5112
Efland, NC 27243
(919) 563-5112
Grades: PK-5
| 550 students
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