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Very Good

#930 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 35% in state

Orange High

High School · Orange County Schools · Hillsborough, NC

An Orange County Schools high school serving grades 9th – 12th.

500 Orange High Rd, Hillsborough, NC 27278

  • Math 75% vs NC 56% (2025)
  • Reading 55% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • 84.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress7.6Very Good25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.11 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics7.6Very Good25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency75.2% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency54.6% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+19.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+1 pts
Overall Proficiency65% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)64% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+0.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile64th
College Readiness6.5Average30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate84%
AP Participation19.4%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment6.8Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.8:1
District spending per student$14,399
Chronic Absenteeism30.2%

Students at Orange High score 65% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 64%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency75%(2025 NC)
School
State
56%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency55%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 11 points since 2019, reaching 65% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
84%
ELA
70%
2010
Math
88%
ELA
74%
2011
Math
85%
ELA
90%
2012
Math
32%
ELA
56%
2013
Math
37%
ELA
56%
2014
Math
38%
ELA
53%
2015
Math
46%
ELA
53%
2016
Math
45%
ELA
57%
2017
Math
1%
ELA
55%
2018
Math
53%
ELA
55%
2019
Math
53%
ELA
55%
2020*
Math
63%
ELA
58%
2021*
Math
63%
ELA
58%
2025
Math
75%
ELA
55%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 55% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 60% (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

42.3%

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 Orange 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 7Car-Dependent
  • Bike 21Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,904/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Hillsborough), 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

$101,821

Median home value

$380,000

Median rent

$1,294/mo

College educated

53.8%

Homeownership

77.3%

Poverty rate

7.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27278; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs4AP courses offered
19.4% participation·State avg: 3 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics20sports offered
10 boys'·10 girls'·30 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 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

3 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Eno River AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified8.1K–120.9 mi810Compare →
Partnership AcademyEnrollment path unverified4.59–122.1 mi43Compare →
Cedar Ridge HighEnrollment path unverified7.69–123.2 mi1,118Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

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

Orange County Schools

Schools in district
13
Rank in district
#5 of 13
District spending per student
$14,399NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
8.9%Census SAIPE · 2024

Orange High is listed in Orange County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Orange High

Orange High is a public high school in Hillsborough, NC, part of Orange County Schools, serving approximately 1,220 students in grades 9th-12th with a 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.1 out of 10 and ranks #930 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 55% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 60% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Orange High

What grades does Orange High serve?

Orange High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Orange High?

Orange High has an enrollment of approximately 1,220 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Orange High?

The student-teacher ratio at Orange High is 15.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Orange High rank in NC?

Orange High ranks #930 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Orange High's MySchoolScout rating?

Orange High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.1 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 Orange High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Orange High has 55% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 60% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Orange High a charter school?

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

Is Orange High a Title I school?

No, Orange High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Orange High?

42.3% of students at Orange 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
1,220
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
77
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Town
County
Orange County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
30.2%
4-Year Graduation
84.0%
Area population (ZIP 27278)
28,546
Area average commute
27.2 min
Area median age
44.9
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 27278; 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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