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Needs Improvement

#2627 of 2,648 schools in NC

Hugh M Cummings High

High School · Alamance-burlington Schools · Burlington, NC

An Alamance-burlington Schools high school where students score 26 points below what's typical for similar communities.

2200 N Mebane Street, Burlington, NC 27217

  • Math 10% vs NC 56% (2025)
  • Reading 30% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • 80.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress1.8Needs Improvement25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-3.01 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics1.9Needs Improvement25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency10.2% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency30.3% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-45.8 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-23.3 pts
Overall Proficiency20% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-26.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile4th
College Readiness3.8Needs Improvement30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate80%
AP Participation2.7%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment1.6Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio17.7:1
District spending per student$11,925
Chronic Absenteeism85.6%

Students at Hugh M Cummings High score 20% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 46%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency10%(2025 NC)
School
State
56%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency30%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 7 points since 2019, to 20% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
77%
ELA
42%
2010
Math
77%
ELA
52%
2011
Math
82%
ELA
82%
2012
Math
27%
ELA
31%
2013
Math
22%
ELA
32%
2014
Math
31%
ELA
27%
2015
Math
22%
ELA
32%
2016
Math
27%
ELA
33%
2017
Math
1%
ELA
27%
2018
Math
33%
ELA
21%
2019
Math
33%
ELA
21%
2020*
Math
17%
ELA
32%
2021*
Math
17%
ELA
32%
2025
Math
10%
ELA
30%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 34% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 35% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

99.6%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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 rate

The neighborhood

Where Hugh M Cummings High sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 39Car-Dependent
  • Bike 31Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,080/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Burlington), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$50,770

Median home value

$164,900

Median rent

$859/mo

College educated

14.6%

Homeownership

61.6%

Poverty rate

21.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27217; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs3AP courses offered
2.7% participation·State avg: 3 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics14sports offered
7 boys'·7 girls'·14 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses4of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Positive Day SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot rated2–120.9 mi26Compare →
Graham HighEnrollment path unverified2.89–121.2 mi744Compare →
Ray Street AcademyEnrollment path unverified5.16–121.9 mi30Compare →
Alamance Virtual SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.34–122.3 mi234Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Alamance-burlington Schools

Schools in district
38
Rank in district
#35 of 36
District spending per student
$11,925NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Hugh M Cummings High is listed in Alamance-Burlington Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Hugh M Cummings High

Hugh M Cummings High is a public high school in Burlington, NC, part of Alamance-burlington Schools, serving approximately 813 students in grades 9th-12th with a 17.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 2.4 out of 10 and ranks #2,627 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 34% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 35% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Hugh M Cummings High

What grades does Hugh M Cummings High serve?

Hugh M Cummings High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Hugh M Cummings High?

Hugh M Cummings High has an enrollment of approximately 813 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Hugh M Cummings High?

The student-teacher ratio at Hugh M Cummings High is 17.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Hugh M Cummings High rank in NC?

Hugh M Cummings High ranks #2,627 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Hugh M Cummings High's MySchoolScout rating?

Hugh M Cummings High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 2.4 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Hugh M Cummings High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Hugh M Cummings High has 34% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 35% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Hugh M Cummings High a charter school?

No, Hugh M Cummings High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Hugh M Cummings High a Title I school?

No, Hugh M Cummings High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Hugh M Cummings High?

99.6% of students at Hugh M Cummings High qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
813
Student-Teacher Ratio
17.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
46
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Alamance County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
85.6%
4-Year Graduation
80.0%
Area population (ZIP 27217)
40,561
Area average commute
26.9 min
Area median age
35.3
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 27217; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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