Burton Elementary vs Glenn Elementary

Burton Elementary and Glenn Elementary sit 4.4 miles apart in Durham, North Carolina, yet their overall ratings tell a meaningful story: Burton Elementary scores 9.5/10 against Glenn Elementary's 8.9/10 — a 0.6-point gap that translates into a significant state rank difference. Burton Elementary ranks #6 out of 2,648 schools in North Carolina, placing it among the state's elite elementary programs, while Glenn Elementary ranks #84 — still an exceptional result in a field of nearly 2,650 schools, but a full 78 positions behind.

The sharpest contrast between the two schools lies in academic proficiency. Burton Elementary posts an academic score of 8.7/10 compared to Glenn Elementary's 6.6/10 — a 2.1-point gap that represents a concrete difference in measured subject-matter mastery on state assessments. Growth scores, by contrast, are nearly identical: Glenn Elementary edges Burton Elementary 9.9 to 9.8, meaning students at both schools are advancing at an exceptional pace relative to their starting points. Parents can expect strong year-over-year learning gains at either campus regardless of where proficiency baselines currently sit.

Both schools serve Durham's highest-need students — Burton Elementary reports 99% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and Glenn Elementary reports 100%, making them demographically near-identical in economic terms. The enrollment difference is more substantial: Burton Elementary has 294 students versus Glenn Elementary's 570, making Glenn roughly twice the size. That scale difference is reflected in the student-teacher ratios: Burton Elementary runs 9.5 students per teacher compared to Glenn Elementary's 10.8, meaning Burton families can expect modestly more individual attention per classroom.

One program distinction separates the two: Burton Elementary serves pre-kindergarten through 5th grade, while Glenn Elementary begins at kindergarten. Families with pre-K-age children have only one option between the two. Beyond entry grade, both schools operate as traditional Durham Public Schools elementary campuses covering the same K–5 core curriculum, so program differences are otherwise driven by school-specific staffing and classroom resources rather than structural offerings.