Catherine Truitt North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction | North Carolina Department of Public Instruction website
Catherine Truitt North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction | North Carolina Department of Public Instruction website
Chapel Hill High School registered the highest enrollment among Orange County's 34 schools in the 2023-24 school year, welcoming 1,625 students.
Despite steady enrollment, North Carolina schools continue to face significant funding challenges. The state's per-student spending remains nearly $5,000 below the national average, limiting resources for teachers, classrooms, and student support programs. In fact, North Carolina ranks 48th out of 50 states in per-student funding (after adjusting for regional costs).
Staffing shortages have also become a growing concern, with teacher turnover rising to 11.5% in the most recent school year. Low salaries and high workloads make it difficult to retain experienced educators, potentially increasing class sizes and affecting learning quality.
| School name | Total Enrollment in 2022-23 | Total Enrollment in 2023-24 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapel Hill High School | - | 1,625 | - |
| East Chapel Hill High School | 1,431 | 1,403 | -2% |
| Orange High School | 1,290 | 1,201 | -6.9% |
| Cedar Ridge High School | 1,082 | 1,098 | 1.5% |
| Carrboro High School | 858 | 884 | 3% |
| Eno River Academy | - | 797 | - |
| Smith Middle School | 769 | 747 | -2.9% |
| McDougle Middle School | 750 | 704 | -6.1% |
| Culbreth Middle School | 661 | 684 | 3.5% |
| A. L. Stanback Middle School | 648 | 633 | -2.3% |
| Phillips Middle School | 613 | 585 | -4.6% |
| River Park Elementary School | 555 | 555 | 0% |
| Efland Cheeks Elementary School | 521 | 528 | 1.3% |
| New Hope Elementary School | 535 | 528 | -1.3% |
| Orange Middle School | 524 | 525 | 0.2% |
| FPG Elementary School | 509 | 510 | 0.2% |
| Carrboro Elementary School | 487 | 489 | 0.4% |
| McDougle Elementary School | 478 | 465 | -2.7% |
| Hillsborough Elementary School | 428 | 437 | 2.1% |
| Seawell Elementary School | 464 | 427 | -8% |
| Rashkis Elementary School | 421 | 424 | 0.7% |
| Gravelly Hill Middle School | 429 | 410 | -4.4% |
| Glenwood Elementary School | 431 | 407 | -5.6% |
| Grady Brown Elementary School | - | 405 | - |
| Morris Grove Elementary School | 423 | 399 | -5.7% |
| Scroggs Elementary School | 380 | 383 | 0.8% |
| Northside Elementary School | 381 | 380 | -0.3% |
| The Expedition School | 358 | 360 | 0.6% |
| Ephesus Elementary School | 349 | 359 | 2.9% |
| Estes Hills Elementary School | 334 | 340 | 1.8% |
| Pathways Elementary School | 311 | 317 | 1.9% |
| Central Elementary School | 299 | 288 | -3.7% |
| Partnership Academy | 37 | 45 | 21.6% |
| Phoenix Academy High | 27 | 21 | -22.2% |
Alerts Sign-up