Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools School District
School District · Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Avg Rating
7.2
out of 10
Schools
20
11 elem, 4 mid, 5 high
Enrollment
11,386
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.5:1
Avg Rating
7.2
out of 10
Schools
20
11 elem, 4 mid, 5 high
Enrollment
11,386
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.5:1
How this district compares
North Carolina rank
#6 of 116
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
+0.9
above North Carolina avg
Per-pupil spending
$16,963
+$3,851 vs North Carolina median
District size
11,386 students
Much larger than North Carolina median
The short answer
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools ranks #6 of 116 North Carolina districts by overall school rating. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools's schools with real test data average 7.3/10 across 18 schools. Its top-rated schools are Estes Hills Elementary (9.1/10), Fpg Elementary (8.5/10), and Morris Grove Elementary (8.3/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 9.1/10 despite 29% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.6 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +7.9 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (18 of 20). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Estes Hills Elementary | 9.1 / 10 |
| 2 | Fpg Elementary | 8.5 / 10 |
| 3 | Morris Grove Elementary | 8.3 / 10 |
| 4 | Carrboro Elementary | 8.2 / 10 |
| 5 | Mcdougle Middle | 8.1 / 10 |
| 6 | Chapel Hill High | 7.9 / 10 |
| 7 | East Chapel Hill High | 7.8 / 10 |
| 8 | Glenwood Elementary | 7.7 / 10 |
| 9 | Ephesus Elementary | 7.7 / 10 |
| 10 | Smith Middle | 7.2 / 10 |
See all 20 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools is a Chapel Hill, North Carolina school district serving 20 schools.The district educates 11,386 students with a student-teacher ratio of 12.5:1. District-level spending was $16,963 per student in fiscal year 2023 (NCES F-33).
With an average rating of 7.2/10, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools is among the strongest-performing districts in the state.
The highest-rated school in the district is Estes Hills Elementary, which has a composite score of 9.1/10.
In standardized testing, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools students show an average math proficiency of 70.0% and ELA proficiency of 69.5%.
The district includes 11 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 5 high schools.
District Map
Schools in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools with test data.
Schools in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
20 schoolsElementary Schools11
District Details
- State
- North Carolina
- City
- Chapel Hill
- Total Enrollment
- 11,386
- Teachers (FTE)
- 912
- District spending per student
- $16,963NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- Child poverty rate
- 6.9%Census SAIPE · 2024
- District directory year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools?
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools has 20 schools in total — 11 elementary, 4 middle, and 5 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools?
The average composite rating for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools is 7.2/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the district spending per student in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools?
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools's district-level spending was $16,963 per student in fiscal year 2023, according to NCES F-33. This is district context, not an individual-school expense.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools?
The average student-teacher ratio in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools is 12.5:1.
What is the top-rated school in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools?
Estes Hills Elementary is the highest-rated school in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools with a composite score of 9.1/10.
What are the test scores in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools?
Across schools in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools with test data, the average math proficiency is 70.0% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 69.5%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools compare to other districts in North Carolina?
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools has an average school rating of 7.2/10 across 20 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in North Carolina by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools?
MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.
District Averages
- Overall Rating
- 7.2/10
- Math Proficiency
- 70.0%
- ELA Proficiency
- 69.5%
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateOther School Districts in NC
Compare Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools with neighboring districts in the state.
- Wake County Schools (197)
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (184)
- Guilford County Schools (124)
- Cumberland County Schools (86)
- Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools (81)
- Durham Public Schools (56)
- Gaston County Schools (56)
- Union County Public Schools (52)
- Johnston County Public Schools (48)
- Buncombe County Schools (45)
- Cabarrus County Schools (44)
- New Hanover County Schools (42)
- Pitt County Schools (40)
- Onslow County Schools (39)
- Alamance-Burlington Schools (38)
- Iredell-Statesville Schools (38)
- Public Schools of Robeson County (37)
- Davidson County Schools (35)
- Wayne County Public Schools (33)
- Randolph County School System (32)
- Rowan-Salisbury Schools (32)
- Harnett County Schools (29)
- Catawba County Schools (28)
- Cleveland County Schools (28)
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, North Carolina Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.
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