Alamance-Burlington Schools

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Burlington, North Carolina - 36 schools

An equity score of 59/100 ranks Alamance-Burlington Schools #87 of 293 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,211 per pupil, Alamance-Burlington Schools ranks #125 of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

22,489
Total Enrollment
36
Schools
$12,211
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Alamance-Burlington Schools operates 36 public schools serving 22,489 students, placing it in the mid-size range in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 16 combined, 7 high, 7 middle, 6 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Alamance County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,211 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending. See how North Carolina compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 18.4% local, 58.2% state, and 23.4% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 59/100, ranked #87 of 293 in North Carolina against a state average of 45, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 8 of 36 schools offering Advanced Placement (82 AP courses district-wide), a 415.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 42.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 32.8% White, 32.4% Hispanic or Latino, 25.0% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Audrey W. Garrett Elementary, with a diversity index of 73.9/100.

Its largest campus is Walter M Williams High, enrolling 1,206 students (6% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Ray Street Academy, at 36 students, a 34x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Alamance-Burlington Schools school enrollment varies 34× across entities

Alamance-Burlington Schools school enrollment ranges from 36 students (lowest) to 1,206 students (highest), a spread of 1,170 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity, the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Alamance-Burlington Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 65.4% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Alamance-Burlington Schools student-counselor ratio is 416:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Alamance-Burlington Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 42.2% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

23.4%
Federal
58.2%
State
18.4%
Local

Funding Equity

59
Equity Score
87 / 293
State Rank
45
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 36 schools in Alamance-Burlington Schools.

White 32.8%
Hispanic or Latino 32.4%
African American 25.0%
Asian 1.7%
Multiracial 7.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 64.7/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Alamance-Burlington Schools's schools, above the North Carolina average of 56.1.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Audrey W. Garrett Elementary 73.9
  2. 2 Highland Elementary 73.7
  3. 3 South Mebane Elementary 73.2
  4. 4 Walter M Williams High 72.7
  5. 5 Pleasant Grove Elementary 72.6

Programs & Resources

8 / 36
Schools with AP
82 AP courses total
415.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
42.2%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Alamance-Burlington Schools

School Enrollment
Walter M Williams High
1,206
Southern Alamance High
1,148
Western Alamance High
1,138
Eastern Alamance High
952
Hawfields Middle
864
Western Alamance Middle
837
Graham High
828
Southern Alamance Middle
822
Hugh M Cummings High
807
Audrey W. Garrett Elementary
785
Turrentine Middle
739
Elon Elementary
689
Highland Elementary
661
Woodlawn Middle
633
Altamahaw-Ossipee Elementary
623
Alexander Wilson Elementary
609
Hillcrest Elementary
556
Marvin B Smith Elementary
556
Graham Middle
553
Eastlawn Elementary
528
South Graham Elementary
518
Broadview Middle
512
South Mebane Elementary
506
Edwin M Holt Elementary
505
R Homer Andrews Elementary
498
Harvey R Newlin Elementary
491
Haw River Elementary
490
Grove Park Elementary
437
North Graham Elementary
362
B. Everett Jordan Elementary
338
E M Yoder Elementary
336
Sylvan Elementary
298
Pleasant Grove Elementary
271
Abss Early College at Acc
247
Alamance Virtual School
203
Ray Street Academy
36

How Alamance-Burlington Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The North Carolina districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Buncombe County Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Public Schools of Robeson County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Pitt County Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Iredell-Statesville Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Harnett County Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Alamance-Burlington Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in North Carolina

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Wake County Schools
159,778 students · 197 schools · $11,859/pupil
Compare vs Alamance-Burlington Schools →
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
144,197 students · 180 schools · $11,853/pupil
Compare vs Alamance-Burlington Schools →
Guilford County Schools
68,894 students · 126 schools · $13,036/pupil
Compare vs Alamance-Burlington Schools →
Cumberland County Schools
49,661 students · 86 schools · $12,412/pupil
Compare vs Alamance-Burlington Schools →

Compare Alamance-Burlington Schools

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Wake County Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Alamance-Burlington Schools?

Alamance-Burlington Schools has 36 schools, including 7 high, 7 middle, 16 combined, 6 elementary. Total enrollment is 22,489 students.

How much does Alamance-Burlington Schools spend per student?

Alamance-Burlington Schools spends $12,211 per student. The district has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #87 in North Carolina.

What is the demographic composition of Alamance-Burlington Schools?

Alamance-Burlington Schools students are 32.8% White, 32.4% Hispanic or Latino, 25.0% African American, 1.7% Asian, averaged across 36 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Alamance-Burlington Schools?

Alamance-Burlington Schools has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #87 out of 293 districts in North Carolina.