Enrollment
1,433
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Durham, NC
Hillside High
Federal NCES profile for Hillside High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370126000385
👥 S:T ratio 39
📚 AP courses 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 59
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hillside High earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #8 of 11
- high schools in Durham · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 99.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Hillside High has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hillside High ranks #8 of 11 high schools in Durham, NC.
School address
District: Durham Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370126000385 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
94.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hillside High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hillside High
Hillside High is a high-poverty, large high school in Durham, North Carolina, enrolling 1,433 students.
At 15.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 99.8% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,433 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 47 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #8.
Its student body is led by African American (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%) (diversity index 54/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 4 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 205 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 61.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Durham Public Schools spends $14,937 per pupil, 24% above the North Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 31 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Durham's high schools, it stands alongside C E Jordan High (2,189 students): Hillside High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.2:1 vs 19.4:1).
Durham Public Schools also operates C E Jordan High (2,189 students) and Riverside High (1,900 students) alongside Hillside High.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Hillside High compares
Hillside High on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.2:1 | ▼ 4% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.8% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,433 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,433
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 52% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
61.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$14,937
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 205 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
164
in-school suspensions + 87 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 31 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 59.9%
Hispanic or Latino 32.1%
Two or More 4.3%
White 1.9%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 59.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.6, Hillside High is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 4
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Durham Public Schools, which includes Hillside High.
$14,937
Per student
+24%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.5%
State 46.0%
Federal 19.5%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Hillside High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| C E Jordan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Riverside High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Durham School of the Arts | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southern School of Energy and Sustainabi | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northern High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hillside High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,189
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,900
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,764
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,384
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,281
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar high schools in Durham
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
C E Jordan High
Standard public school
2,189 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Riverside High
Standard public school
1,900 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Southern School of Energy and Sustainabi
Standard public school
1,384 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Northern High
Standard public school
1,281 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Research Triangle High School
Standard public school
572 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
J D Clement Early College Hs
Standard public school
380 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,433 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hillside High's federal record.
- Compare Hillside High against another school. Compare schools
- Durham Public Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Hillside High
How many students attend Hillside High?
Hillside High has 1,433 students enrolled. It is a high school in Durham, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hillside High?
The student-teacher ratio at Hillside High is 15.2:1, which is 4% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hillside High?
99.8% of students at Hillside High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hillside High?
The largest demographic group at Hillside High is African American at 59.9% of enrollment, in Durham, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hillside High?
Hillside High has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Hillside High rank among high schools in Durham?
By Resource Investment Index, Hillside High ranks #8 of 11 high schools in Durham, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Durham on the city page.
Is Hillside High a good school?
Hillside High earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Durham Public Schools?
Besides Hillside High, Durham Public Schools also operates C E Jordan High (2,189 students), Riverside High (1,900 students), and Durham School of the Arts (1,764 students). See the Durham Public Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.