Enrollment
878
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Durham, NC
Sherwood Githens Middle
Federal NCES profile for Sherwood Githens Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370126000549
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sherwood Githens Middle earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of North Carolina schools.
- #7 of 9
- middle schools in Durham · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.2:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 54.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Sherwood Githens Middle has class sizes larger than 74% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sherwood Githens Middle ranks #7 of 9 middle schools in Durham, NC.
School address
District: Durham Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370126000549 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sherwood Githens Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sherwood Githens Middle
Sherwood Githens Middle is a higher-need, large middle school in Durham, North Carolina, enrolling 878 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.2:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 54.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 878 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 378 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #220.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (35%) and African American (27%) (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 293 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 46.0% 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 8 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Durham's middle schools, it stands alongside George L Carrington Middle (771 students): Sherwood Githens Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.2:1 vs 13.1:1).
Durham Public Schools also operates C E Jordan High (2,189 students) and Riverside High (1,900 students) alongside Sherwood Githens Middle.
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 Sherwood Githens Middle compares
Sherwood Githens Middle 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 | 17.2:1 | ▲ 9% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.1% | ▼ 18% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 878 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
878
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% below 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
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 74% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
46.0%
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 293 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
81
in-school suspensions + 70 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 8 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
Hispanic or Latino 34.7%
African American 27.1%
White 26.8%
Two or More 7.1%
Asian 4.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 34.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.8, Sherwood Githens Middle is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Durham Public Schools, which includes Sherwood Githens Middle.
$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 Sherwood Githens Middle 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 | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Durham School of the Arts | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hillside High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southern School of Energy and Sustainabi | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sherwood Githens Middle'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
- 1,433
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,384
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar middle schools in Durham
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
George L Carrington Middle
Standard public school
771 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Brogden Middle
Standard public school
753 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Neal Middle
Standard public school
706 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Rogers-Herr Middle
Standard public school
660 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Lowe's Grove Middle
Standard public school
564 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
James E Shepard Middle
Standard public school
423 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~878 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sherwood Githens Middle's federal record.
- Compare Sherwood Githens Middle 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 Sherwood Githens Middle
How many students attend Sherwood Githens Middle?
Sherwood Githens Middle has 878 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Durham, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sherwood Githens Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Sherwood Githens Middle is 17.2:1, which is 9% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sherwood Githens Middle?
54.1% of students at Sherwood Githens Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sherwood Githens Middle?
The largest demographic group at Sherwood Githens Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 34.7% of enrollment, in Durham, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sherwood Githens Middle?
Sherwood Githens Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Sherwood Githens Middle rank among middle schools in Durham?
By Resource Investment Index, Sherwood Githens Middle ranks #7 of 9 middle 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 middle schools in Durham on the city page.
Is Sherwood Githens Middle a good school?
Sherwood Githens Middle earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of North Carolina schools. 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 Sherwood Githens Middle, 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.