Enrollment
807
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Burlington, NC
Hugh M Cummings High
Federal NCES profile for Hugh M Cummings High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370003000202
👥 S:T ratio 44
📚 AP courses 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hugh M Cummings High earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #7 of 15
- public schools in Burlington · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.9:1
- students per teacher
- 76.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Hugh M Cummings High has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hugh M Cummings High ranks #7 of 15 public schools in Burlington, NC.
School address
District: Alamance-Burlington Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370003000202 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
58.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hugh M Cummings High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hugh M Cummings High
Hugh M Cummings High is a high-poverty, mid-sized high school in Burlington, North Carolina, enrolling 807 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 76.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 807 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 165 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #113.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (62%) and African American (29%) (diversity index 52/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 5 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 404 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 91.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 221 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 807 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Burlington's high schools, it stands alongside Walter M Williams High (1,206 students): Hugh M Cummings High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.9:1 vs 16.8:1).
Alamance-Burlington Schools also operates Walter M Williams High (1,206 students) and Southern Alamance High (1,148 students) alongside Hugh M Cummings 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 Hugh M Cummings High compares
Hugh M Cummings 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 | 13.9:1 | ▼ 12% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.1% | ▲ 15% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 807 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
807
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 34% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
91.7%
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
$12,211
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 404 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
123
in-school suspensions + 98 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 15.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 27.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
Hispanic or Latino 62.3%
African American 29.0%
White 4.5%
Two or More 3.7%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 62.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.4, Hugh M Cummings High is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 5
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alamance-Burlington Schools, which includes Hugh M Cummings High.
$12,211
Per student
+2%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.4%
State 58.2%
Federal 23.4%
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 Hugh M Cummings High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walter M Williams High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southern Alamance High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Western Alamance High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eastern Alamance High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hawfields Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hugh M Cummings High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,206
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,148
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,138
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 952
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 864
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar high schools in Burlington
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
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 (~807 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hugh M Cummings High's federal record.
- Compare Hugh M Cummings High against another school. Compare schools
- Alamance-Burlington 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 Hugh M Cummings High
How many students attend Hugh M Cummings High?
Hugh M Cummings High has 807 students enrolled. It is a high school in Burlington, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hugh M Cummings High?
The student-teacher ratio at Hugh M Cummings High is 13.9:1, which is 12% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 11% 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 Hugh M Cummings High?
76.1% of students at Hugh M Cummings High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hugh M Cummings High?
The largest demographic group at Hugh M Cummings High is Hispanic or Latino at 62.3% of enrollment, in Burlington, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hugh M Cummings High?
Hugh M Cummings High has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Hugh M Cummings High rank among public schools in Burlington?
By Resource Investment Index, Hugh M Cummings High ranks #7 of 15 public schools in Burlington, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Burlington on the city page.
Is Hugh M Cummings High a good school?
Hugh M Cummings High earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. 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 Alamance-Burlington Schools?
Besides Hugh M Cummings High, Alamance-Burlington Schools also operates Walter M Williams High (1,206 students), Southern Alamance High (1,148 students), and Western Alamance High (1,138 students). See the Alamance-Burlington 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.