Durham Public Schools operates 54 public schools serving 31,531 students, placing it among the larger districts in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 29 other, 10 high, 9 middle, 6 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 31,280 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Durham County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,524 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 34.5% local, 46.0% state, and 19.5% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $94,021 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 67/100, ranked #51 of 293 in North Carolina against a state average of 45 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 10 of 54 schools offering Advanced Placement (110 AP courses district-wide), a 263.4:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 45.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 37.2% African American, 34.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% White across the district's schools.
Durham Public Schools school enrollment varies 42× across entities
Durham Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 52 students (lowest) to 2,189 students (highest), a spread of 2,137 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.
Durham Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 65.9% 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). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. 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.
Durham Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 263:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
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 Variation between sub-units within Durham Public Schools is typically wider than the Durham Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Durham Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 45.1% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
Durham Public Schools has 54 schools, including 10 high, 29 other, 9 middle, 6 elementary. Total enrollment is 31,531 students.
How much does Durham Public Schools spend per student?
Durham Public Schools spends $17,524 per student. The district has an equity score of 67/100, ranking #51 in North Carolina.
What is the average teacher salary in Durham Public Schools?
The average teacher salary in Durham Public Schools is $94,021 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Durham Public Schools?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Durham County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Durham Public Schools?
Durham Public Schools students are 37.2% African American, 34.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% White, 2.2% Asian, averaged across 54 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Durham Public Schools?
Durham Public Schools has an equity score of 67/100, ranking #51 out of 293 districts in North Carolina. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.