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#1534 of 2,648 schools in NC

Walter M Williams High

High School · Alamance-burlington Schools · Burlington, NC

An Alamance-burlington Schools high school where students score 5 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1307 S Church Street, Burlington, NC 27215

  • Math 60% vs NC 56% (2025)
  • Reading 51% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • 86.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress5.6Average25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.71 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics6.2Average25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency59.8% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency50.5% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+3.8 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-3.1 pts
Overall Proficiency55% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)60% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-5.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile46th
College Readiness8.3Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate86%
AP Participation14.7%
IB ProgramYes
Resources & Environment2.4Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio18.1:1
District spending per student$11,925
Chronic Absenteeism48.4%

Students at Walter M Williams High score 55% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 60%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency60%(2025 NC)
School
State
56%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency51%(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 55% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
76%
ELA
74%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
67%
2011
Math
87%
ELA
89%
2012
Math
40%
ELA
53%
2013
Math
33%
ELA
52%
2014
Math
42%
ELA
53%
2015
Math
41%
ELA
44%
2016
Math
42%
ELA
48%
2017
Math
1%
ELA
46%
2018
Math
37%
ELA
51%
2019
Math
37%
ELA
51%
2020*
Math
52%
ELA
59%
2021*
Math
52%
ELA
59%
2025
Math
60%
ELA
51%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 49% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 57% (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

54.5%

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 Walter M Williams 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 52Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 43Somewhat 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

$66,669

Median home value

$241,700

Median rent

$1,112/mo

College educated

36.9%

Homeownership

61%

Poverty rate

10.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27215; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs4AP courses offeredIB Programme
14.7% participation·State avg: 3 AP courses·44 IB enrolled·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics23sports offered
12 boys'·11 girls'·31 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

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Burlington Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition6.9privatePK–120.9 mi611Compare →
The Burlington SchoolPrivate · tuition7.9privatePK–121.2 mi369Compare →
Alamance Virtual SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.34–121.7 mi234Compare →
Providence, a Christ Mon CoPrivate · tuition6.8privatePK–121.9 mi59Compare →

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.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Alamance-burlington Schools

Schools in district
38
Rank in district
#8 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

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

About Walter M Williams High

Walter M Williams High is a public high school in Burlington, NC, part of Alamance-burlington Schools, serving approximately 1,215 students in grades 9th-12th with a 18.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.9 out of 10 and ranks #1,534 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 49% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Walter M Williams High

What grades does Walter M Williams High serve?

Walter M Williams High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Walter M Williams High?

Walter M Williams High has an enrollment of approximately 1,215 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Walter M Williams High?

The student-teacher ratio at Walter M Williams High is 18.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Walter M Williams High rank in NC?

Walter M Williams High ranks #1,534 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Walter M Williams High's MySchoolScout rating?

Walter M Williams High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.9 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 Walter M Williams High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Walter M Williams High has 49% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Walter M Williams High a charter school?

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

Is Walter M Williams High a Title I school?

No, Walter M Williams High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Walter M Williams High?

54.5% of students at Walter M Williams 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
1,215
Student-Teacher Ratio
18.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
67
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Alamance County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
48.4%
4-Year Graduation
86.0%
Area population (ZIP 27215)
45,967
Area average commute
23.7 min
Area median age
41.9
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 27215; 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

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